Nicolae Timofti back among top three most influential politicians

Moldova’s President Nicolae Timofti returned to the third spot in the rankings of the most influential politicians of Moldova, as several months ago. The rankings were compiled by the Political Consultancy and Analysis Institute “Politicon”. Prime Minister Vlad Filat keeps the first place, being followed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Politicon” head Anatol Taranu said that the Premier remains on top owing to the work he does and the results he achieved in different areas, especially the foreign policy. “The foreign minister comes second. In fact, Vlad Filat and Iurie Leanca form a success duo of the Moldovan policy and the engine that pulls the party that the two represent,” he stated. Anatol Taranu also said that Nicolae Timofti is one of the leaders of the Moldovan politics. “I believe that this is due to the position and good performance of the President during the foreign visits he paid in September – to the U.S., to Strasbourg, where he delivered a speech in front of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and his performance was exemplary,” he said. Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca fell two spots to the fourth. Anatol Taranu said such a fall is due to the many scandals involving the local authorities. The fifth position is taken by the Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu, who slipped one spot. The Democratic Speaker Marian Lupu preserved the sixth place, Minister of the Interior Dorin Recea comes seventh, while the Communist leader Vladimir Voronin ranks eighth. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar went up three spots to the ninth, while Deputy Speaker Vlad Plahotniuc kept the tenth position. Defense Minister Vitalie Marinuta made a remarkable jump, of 14 spots, while Communist MP Mark Tkachuk experienced the greatest fall – from the 18th spot to the 29th. The October rankings of the most influential politicians were compiled with the assistance of 34 experts, who gave grades to the politicians depending on their influence on the major political decisions taken in the country, their popularity and visibility in the media as well as their political prospects.