Opposition blames government of lacking funds for Moldova’s reintegration

Opposition MPs request the creation of special funds as part of the Budget for 2007 for reuniting the Republic of Moldova. MP Vlad Cubreacov told Parliament that the budget for 2007 should allot funds for the “reintegration of RM” chapter. In his opinion, the current draft budget assigned insufficient money to the Ministry of Reintegration for its mission. Nor have the other ministries been afforded financial security to carry out objectives in this respect. “To little avail Chisinau is trying to persuade foreign partners to grant funds for democratizing and retrieving the eastern region, since the Government is tight-fisted in this respect” Cubreacov said. On the other hand, he maintained, millions of lei were assigned for the leadership’s pension sited in Holercani. MP Oleg Serebrian also advocated for the necessity of a special fund dedicated to the eastern region. The social-liberal MP believes that the USA might appreciate such an idea, but the Government ignores the reintegration issue. “Each country which deals with separatism, has a particular chapter in the budget”, Serebrian said. He also solicited the Parliament to revise the draft budget law in this respect, “at least to save appearances”. In turn, Minister of Finance Mihai Pop said that the budget provides for funds to repair schools from Transnistria and for Transnistrian students who learn on the right bank of Nistru. As well, almost MDL 6 mln are intended to cover the difference in prices for electricity and natural gas. Besides, minister maintained, the state intends to compensate losses of the peasants’ farms from Dubasari raion, which own plots beyond Rabnita-Tiraspol motorway. “There are programs intended to repair roads, kindergartens, etc. Hence, nobody can say this region is left without attention”, Pop concluded. The draft budget law for 2007 passed first and second readings Friday, October 20.