Average Chisinau Resident in front of electoral lists. Analysis by Info-Prim Neo, Part II

We continue today the series of analyses started on Monday, May 21, about the electoral lists made public at the end of last week. We will resume examining the composition of each list, which can say a lot about the electoral offer of each candidate. We remind you that we refer to the “average” Chisinau resident, who is to a certain extent concerned about politics and fairly informed in this regard, but has no time and possibilities to make supplementary verifications. We will examine the lists in the order they were registered, so that the privilege and the risk to pass the examination before the others will be shared by the parties registered under no.1 and 2. [Party of Communists: a party of top-managers?] The list of the Party of Communists (CPRM) leaves the impression that it was worked out much time in advance and is perfectly complying with certain clear political strategies. We refer not only to the fact that the list includes at least 8 names of high municipal official, the majority promoted by the former interim Mayor General Vasile Ursu, after he had, abusively as a rule, dismissed the most of their predecessors. This way, the suppositions that Ursu was given the task of a “grader” for smoothing the road ahead of the election campaign have found their confirmation. Those eight are in charge at present of the biggest part of financial and human resources of Chisinau. It is true that a part of them suspended their activities during the election campaign, but the serious electoral arrangements are made long before the campaign. The conclusion about the list of the CPRM is to a great extent grounded on the fact that it is almost entirely worked out on the principle of “directors”, “general directors”, “operational director”, “chief”, “president” etc. They are often representing important economic entities, often monopolists, such as “Franzeluta”, “Termocom”, “Efes-Vitanta”, “Farmaco”, “Moldova Railways”, as well as “Banca de Economii”, “Moldagropiese”, “ArtMet” etc. We specify that the list of 34 persons includes influent people rather than well-known, with a power equal to all “presidents-general” rolled into one. For example: “first advisor, Government of Moldova” or “first advisor, President’s office”. Nowhere in the world are such important persons included in the electoral list by chance, without distributing to each of them their roles, tasks and eventually, the benefits. Such an important potential heading for the Chisinau Municipal Council clearly shows that the ruling party has changed its electoral strategies, placing more importance on the Council than on the office of Mayor, in contrast to the previous campaigns. It would be absolutely natural for CPRM to want the Chisinau Mayor Office, but it has acknowledged among the firsts that the Mayor is a less important figure without the support of the Council. It is possible that CPRM will be the architect of such a scheme, taking into consideration the huge legislative levers it has. Probably, the powerful pieces of the game are expected to secure the conquest of the “stronghold of Chisinau” and keep it under CPRM’s control. It is possible that these actions are correct and efficient from the point of view of political theory and tactics. However, this advantage of the CPRM can become a vulnerable point. It will never be known by what ways and levers the “generals” were introduced in the lists, what they were asked to do and promised in exchange. Willingly or unwillingly, “the average resident of Chisinau” will remember the rumours about the unofficial taxation the major entrepreneurs and administrators have been subjected to. A weighty example occurred just recently. At several CMC meetings in a row, one of the candidates for municipal councillor was criticised for significant debts to the budget. The media has asked details on this issue, but it was given no information… Maybe our voter knows that namely the board of directors forms now the opposition to Igor Smirnov in Tiraspol, after they had supported him for many years. Maybe our “average citizen” is familiar with military service and knows that it is good when an army is led by generals, but a platoon including only generals in many cases means that a battle or even the war will be lost. However, in the end it all depends on the conclusions and actions undertaken by the voters. [Humanist Party of Moldova – Humanist by behaviour and list] The list of the Humanist Party of Moldova (HPM) is equally very well and very inconveniently placed near the list of the technocrats from CPRM. While the concurrent under no. 1 wants to be seen near the everyday concerns of the voter and material life of the Chisinau resident, the competitor no.2 is more concerned about the health and spiritual life of the voters. “Doctor”, “Lawyer”, “NGO representative”, “priest”, “teacher”, “university lecturer” – these are the positions of the first persons included in the list of the HPM. In a case, for instance a title of “commander” is surprisingly accompanied by a “project manager” title. The average resident of Chisinau did not have the occasion to study the list of the HPM yet, as the party participates for the first time in the election campaign. This is why the voter tries to squeeze all the available information. He seems to recall the name of is leader because he was a high official: either minister or deputy-minister, and most probably of health. The residents do not remember the Government he represented, but the fact that it is related to a Government generates controversial feelings: on one hand, this means he is a competent person, on the other hand not a single government made a good impression. About the second candidate, who seams to present another stream in the list, the voter heard that he runs a public organisation where you can submit a request and receive an apartment. The voter also heard that many persons queued long time before registering the request. It is true that no one was given an apartment, but it is not easy to “temper the steel”. One more thing: the authorities said they would close down the organisation of the second listed HPM candidate, because he is involved in illegal practices. On the other hand, everybody knows that the authorities always stumble upon those who want to help people. There had been made statements on the part of the both sides, news conferences had been organised, but no legal proceedings were started, so this could be someone’s scenario. The most unclear thing for the voter is how and why those two streams have merged under the same party and same electoral umbrella, as they are so different in what concerns their occupation and orientation. Maybe this is know-how? - the voter asks himself and goes on reading the lists. To be continued…