logo

Iurie Leanca and Igor Corman: Year started badly, but ends optimistically


https://www.ipn.md/index.php/en/iurie-leanca-and-igor-corman-year-started-badly-but-ends-7978_1009918.html

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and Head of Parliament Igor Corman admitted that 2013 started blandly from political viewpoint as the crisis that arouse led to the Government’s dismissal. But the politicians said the year ends optimistically and they expect the coming year to witness many good things. They hope the people’s mentality will change and the authorities will make progress in fighting corruption and in implementing the initiated reforms, IPN reports.

“2013 wasn’t an easy year. Though it was a difficult year, the end is optimistic and not only due to the success at the Vilnius Summit, but also to certain economic trends. We have good figures and expect an economic growth of at least 6% at a time when the regional picture is not at all bright. Moldova is a relatively small country that is vulnerable to regional developments. It was a turbulent year with foreign challenges and unexpected decisions at regional level, but we managed to show cohesion,” the Premier said in the program “Replica” on Prime TV.

He added that the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline on Moldova’s side will be ready by the end of next February. The construction of this pipeline revealed certain deficiencies, including the fact that Moldova still designs projects according to Soviet standards. “We want everything to be European, but use Soviet models that imply larger costs and losses of time. We want next year to be different and the people’s mentality to change as corruption can be combated if the people stop giving bribe,” said Iurie Leanca.

According to the Premier, no essential changes took place this year in the Transnistrian conflict settlement process. “But it’s not our fault. We made effort, but we need patience. Miracles will not happen here. We must make the right bank attractive. The Transnistrian dispute is not an impediment for coming closer to the EU. It is also not an impediment for obtaining the status of accession candidate. There are yet 7, 8 or even 10 years before accession,” stated the Head of Government.

In the same program, Igor Corman said that the year started very badly from political perspective. “We close it yet optimistically and the fact that we overcame the crisis is an example showing that the political class becomes more mature. The cooperation is very good. We are determined to maintain political stability and to achieve our goals,” he stated.

According to the Speaker, Parliament didn’t work at full capacity during the political crisis, when there was the risk of early elections. “We lost time in the first half of the year, but the Parliament’s agenda as regards the European course is fulfilled. We lost time as regards the reformation of justice and the prosecution service and the combating of corruption,” said Igor Corman.

The officials also said that the number of workplaces hasn’t been significantly increased this year. However, there are certain paradoxes. On the one hand, the people complain that they do not have work, while the entrepreneurs say they do not have workers. According to the authorities, Moldova recently lost important investments because is lacks labor force.