2007 was marked by a number of beginnings that can have successful endings. Interview with leader of the Social Democratic Party Dumitru Braghis. SERIES OF INFO-PRIM NEO INVESTIGATIONS “HOW WAS 2007”

[ - How was the political year 2007 for Moldova and what are your political forecasts for 2008?] The year 2007 was marked by a number of beginnings that can have successful endings. Firstly, we can mention the continuous degeneration of the ruling party, the failure of the Communists in the general local elections and the constitution of democratic administrations in most of the raions. In fact, the results of the 2007 local elections confirmed a truth that we expressed at the start of the year in an open letter in which we demanded that President Vladimir Voronin should resign – the country’s people are tired of the Communist administration, of their lies and cynicism, of the disorder and wrongdoings in the country. Another accomplishment of 2007 was the initiation of the process of joining the Social-Democratic parties and of consolidating the Social-Democratic pole. At the general local elections, the Social Democracy Party proved its viability, polling about 5% of the vote one year and a half after constitution. At the same time, we understood that only by strengthening the left-wing political spectrum, we can count on a greater support on the part of the electorate. On December 22, 2007, we held the unification congress of the Social Democracy Party and of the Social Democratic Party. The most powerful district organizations of the Centrist Union also joined the unification process. [ - What were the most important political events that had a positive impact on Moldova and what were those that influenced negatively Moldova’s development, in your opinion?] Among the failures of 2007 are the events that derived from the chaotic and unfounded policy of the government, from the lack of strategic visions of the country’s future. Unfortunately, we made no step towards the European integration in 2007 and the way in which the EU-Moldova Action Plan was implemented is a relevant proof. We did not make progress as regards the evolution of democracy, the freedom of the media, the combating of corruption. Despite the economic growth in the last years, the wider discrepancy between Moldova and the second poorest state in Europe became a reason for concern for the European Union. Moreover, most of the country’s people in 2007 became even poorer and the purchase power was diminished by the rising prices, high inflation and decreasing number of workplaces. We cannot boast about achievements in the process of reunifying the country. In spite of enthusiastic statements, the negotiating process was not resumed; nothing was done to adjust the positions. Moldova’s foreign policy is another failure. The Government continued with the same ineffective policy – to quarrel with all the people, first of all with the neighbours. Our relations with Romania, Ukraine and Russia have worsened and we are now regarded as an arrogant and unreliable partner. [ - What are your party’s priorities for 2008 and, possibly, for 2009?] We hope that the good tendencies will develop in 2008 and we will deal successfully with the numerous problems we face. We are disposed to continue the process of unifying the democratic parties in order to propose a real and powerful alternative to the present populist government in the electoral campaign of 2009. We will make effort to prove that the citizens’ decision to choose the democratic parties in the local elections of 2007 was correct and that this choice must be reconfirmed at the parliamentary elections of 2009.