On November 1, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova will be invited to elect the future President for a four-year term. IPN News Agency asked passersby “What is the President’s role in the country development process?” The answers can be seen below:
Maria Cojocaru, 62, pensioner, ex-employee of culture sector
“As far as I understand, the President in a parliamentary republic should be elected by Parliament. As they replaced the election method so that the people elect him/her, but didn’t change the President’s duties, the President’s role in the Republic of Moldova is rather symbolic. The President should represent the country, have an image and an appropriate appearance. He is a kind of symbol of the country. But I didn’t see this symbol, at least during the past four years. I wasn’t proud when the President of my country appeared on the world arena, even if he was mostly in Russia”.
Mihail Ciofu, 66, pensioner, technician
“He should care for the people, first of all. Things should be in order and the laws should work. There should be no stealing and everyone should work honestly. The Government should work appropriately. Many people in villages will vote for Shor. Why? My cousin has four cows, but he buys cheese and sour cream from Shor’s social stores, where they are by 0.5 lei cheaper”.
Daniel Mishanovschi, 20, student:
“The President has particular powers. In our county, the President has the powers of the executive body and the fate of the Government depends on him to a particular extent, namely who will be Prime Minister, who will be the ministers. To my mind, this is very important as the Government fulfills all the orders from Parliament. Cooperation between the state institutions is ensured this way. The European Union helps by different donations and loans that the Republic of Moldova needs because there are insufficient finances owing to the crisis. I don’t know if the EU needs Moldova in general. We need it more. The President influences things at diplomatic level, the relations with other states. The assistance provided by the EU is rather within the Parliament’s remit”.
Lucia Grozavu, 63, laboratory doctor:
“The President has not many powers…But it is very dangerous to empower one person to manage the country as you cannot know what kind of persons this is. We are now a parliamentary republic and it would be more difficult if we were a presidential republic. I think this would be wrong. Either good or bad, but the MPs present more opinions. There is an opposition, even if it seems to me that this is sleeping. They should listen to the people’s opinion as we are in two boats for now. We take one step forward and two back and for about 20 years haven’t followed a concrete path. Romania contributes more or less! Even if our President never paid an official visit to Romania. Another path would be more difficult. As part of Romania, we can easier integrate into the EU”.
Andrei Vahnovan, 25, athlete
“I consider the role of a President is to keep his word. If you promise things to the people, fulfill your promises. These should also be achievable. It’s easy to utter things, but it’s harder to do something. I do not follow the developments much. If I don’t go to vote, someone else will vote for me and will probably vote a person who does not deserve to be President. If this is not responsible, there is no use holding office. Only for money?”
Rita Pogorenîi, 39, human resources manager:
“First of all, the President should take care of the own people, including of pensioners because they worked for the state. He should think about the children too as they are our future. The alimentation in schools is of a poor quality. The children remain hungry. We pay 10 lei and it’s clear that a child cannot be fed on 10 lei at home. The state should contribute and increase the amount as we work for the purpose and pay a health insurance policy that we practically do not use. The President should orient himself to Europe. The past passed and we should live now in a different way. I speak Russian and Romanian. I think that if we unite with Romania, our children will speak Romanian better. I want to speak correct Romanian, not Moldovan.”
Boris Skitsko, 79, pensioner, former investigator:
“He should bring things in the country in order and drive away the thieves that sit in Parliament as there is no use of these MPs. They steal, do foolish things. All the bad things start from Parliament and this should be replaced. A person should be able to hold the seat of MP at most during two terms. The President should make sure that the judges and prosecutors do not earn money by corruption. Maia should step aside as she served as minister and started to close the schools. If the school is closed in a village, this village disappears. I know that Andrei Năstase’s family is in Germany and he stays here… Our language is Moldovan as Stephan the Great ruled in Moldova. How can we betray this man? He built Moldova, not Romania”.
Marina Florea, IPN
