The idea of a solid, independent and prosperous state was stipulated in the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Moldova. Regrettably, this idea was somehow lost in the development process. Our society is now divided by the political forces according to the principle “divide and rule”. At the same time, all the people want to live well, have proper infrastructure, cope together with the appearing problems and this wish can unite society at present. Aspects of the unification of Moldovan society were discussed in the public debate “What can unite Moldovan society” that was held by IPN news Agency.
Ștefan Gligor, the standing expert of IPN’s project, said the issue of division of Moldovan society has lain at the heart of political strategies since the declaring of Moldova’s independence. “The political strategists determine what the people are bothered by and, by influencing these points, obtain particular models of behavior. The division of society as a principle for managing society is a very old one. The whole society is divided into two large groups and the enemy’s image is formed in the conscience of each group. The political elites use these models to seize power,” he stated.
According to him, society should take into account the fact that the process of building a state is a long-lasting process. The level of education of society influences the process of developing a state. There are few visionaries in Moldova with long-term strategies for developing our state. Three decades were needed to shape a mobilizing factor for the current elections.
“There can be only one national idea – the fight against corruption. This necessitates educational programs for the population. The idea of creating a national strategy for Moldova is utopian. There are many strategies in the country, but they are not all visionary and not all of them are implemented. By consultative referendum, we can shape the political reality and manage the country,” stated Ștefan Gligor.
The formation of the Republic of Moldova was impacted by historical events, being influenced from outside and by momentary circumstances, said Ilia Trombitschii, former member of Moldova’s Parliament who signed the Declaration of Independence. He noted that during the first years of its independence, the country had a clear development direction based on European values and this development was progressive. Regrettably, internal corruption grew and is now the most serious enemy of the state. Corruption weakened the foundations of the state and hampered the building of powerful state institutions. Confidence in the state and its bodies is at a very low level. The citizens of the country can be united based on the citizenship principle regardless of ethnicity. The observance of the laws, the wish to make compromises, a particular set of ideas should be at the core of the development of the national idea.
According to Ilia Trombitchii, the national idea can be devised by honest people who want to leave something good in the country’s history. The role of civil society in this process is growing. The active representatives of civil society can be recognized on the street. They will come themselves at a tree planting place, will plant trees all the day long and no one will know their names. The public interest activity is a civic activity.
Communication specialist Anastasia Primova mentioned several ideas of mobilization of society for achieving common goals. The mobilization of society at the last elections is one example. The unification of people as part of a charity project during the pandemic is another example. The problems faced in education and culture contributed to the division of society. The people do not feel responsible for the public and private property. “By our nature, we are a solidary nation when this is needed. We do not have a long-term national strategy or a national idea. We do not know our values. To be able to unite, we must understand who we are. This can necessitate a national study of values. The persons of all nationalities will follow a statesman. The idea of working out a national strategy has the right to life, but it is very hard to put it into practice. We have practically the same stances on many things, but are very divided over details,” stated Anastasia Primova.
The 12th public debate of the series “Overcoming stereotypes of European integration by communication” held under the theme “What can unite Moldovan society” forms part of the project “Developing political culture through public debates”. IPN News Agency stages the debates with the support of Hanns Seidel Foundation.
Ala Tocarciuc, moderator, IPN
