To determine how the government coped with the crisis so far, the issue should be divided into two so as to separately assess the rapid action taken to contain the pandemic and take the situation under control and the preparations for the post-crisis stage, ex-deputy prime minister Alexandru Muravski stated in IPN’s public debate “Crisis in Moldova as an indicator of missed opportunities and an occasion for changes”.
According to him, the government 50% coped with the first task. “Given Moldova’s weakness in the personnel, financial and economic sectors, we should admit that the government took many steps even if some of them deserve to be criticized. But everything has its reasons,” explained the economist.
He noted that the Government’s faults diminished the effect of the correct measures.
Speaking about the preparations for the next stage, Alexandru Muravski said the union that is needed in difficult periods of time is now absent. “We should learn to combine forces in a crisis and to move the political disagreements to the second place. In the meantime, when the Prime Minster proposed holding a joint meeting, his proposal was ignored. He should thus invite again and propose a new format of cooperation,” he noted.
The economist said it is also important to hold the meeting of the Economic Council working under the Prime Minister. “There should be six-seven persons who would say what they really think, regardless of ranks. The Premier will then decide either to accept the proposals or not as he bears responsibility, but such discussions are needed,” he stated.
Alexandru Muravski said that he proposed several candidates for members of the Economic Council to Prime Minister Ion Chicu, but no reaction followed. “But the second pandemic wave is coming and we should be ready for new difficulties and should not make the same mistakes.”
The public debate entitled “Crisis in Moldova as an indicator of missed opportunities and an occasion for changes” was held as part of the project “Overcoming European integration stereotypes through communication” that is implemented by IPN News Agency with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation.