A large part of the candidates for President in their electoral programs formulated promises that are not within the President’s remit in accordance with the Constitution. Moreover, some say they will put the electoral program into practice if the parliamentary system of government is replaced with the presidential republic. Other candidates make promises without justifying them financially or that are far from the presidential institution’s capacity as these are the responsibility of the local public authorities, said Igor Boțan, executive director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT that launched a webpage about the November 1 presidential elections.
In a news conference at IPN, the ADEPT director said the webpage will present analyses of the electoral programs of candidates to show if they comply with the President’s duties. For example, the program of independent candidate Igor Dodon, who is supported by the Party of Socialists, is a broad document that does not match the President’s duties. In an interview yesterday, the candidate admitted that this program can be implemented only if the constitutional reform takes place.
Under the Constitutional Court’s judgment of December 2017, the President should be detached from political parties. However, the President, when presenting the electoral platform in elections, makes promises related to kindergartens, roads and developed towns, but this is the responsibility of LPAs.
Igor Boțan noted the platform of the PAS’s candidate Maia Sandu shows the politician aims to become a national leader, a head of state and a guarantor of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity and independence. Things here are rather informal, with the candidate saying she will be able to offer the citizens all the benefits about which she speaks during the election campaign. The same is true about the PPPDA’s candidate Andrei Năstase.
Candidates Dorin Chirtoacă and Octavian Țîcu present a view for the Republic of Moldova related to the union with Romania. That’s why their electoral programs about Moldova’s development as a sovereign and independent state are somehow overlooked.
The PLDM’s candidate Tudor Deliu presents an electoral program that fully complies with the constitutional provisions, for a President who is only a mediator. But the other side of the coin in this case is that such a candidate is regarded as one who does not have a global view for the Republic of Moldova. He promises be a good President and this matters a lot, but he cannot provide a global view for the country.
Renato Usatyi, who runs on behalf of Our Party, adopted a special type of behavior. He and his party mates say their behavior does not match the standards. He has discussions with citizens and these center on problems of maximum interest for the people.
The program of the Shor Party’s candidate Violeta Ivanov can be regarded as an extension of Orhei to the whole Moldova. “How? Where will money be taken from? What is the view? What is the external course? There are no such explanations. She insists on that experience and on the solving of the people’s social problems without having the necessary powers,” stated Igor Boțan.
The webpage focusing on the presidential elections, which is available on alegeri.md, was created by the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT as part of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections. This contains sections about the candidates, their incomes and expenses, polls, election monitoring, challenges, etc.
