YOUR EXCELLENCES,
MR. AND MRS. AMBASSADORS,
HONOURABLE AUDIENCE,
I would like to greet you and to thank you for attending the traditional diplomatic reception dedicated to the winter holidays. I will take advantage of this occasion to address sincere wishes of health, welfare and most beautiful achievements.
The today event is a great opportunity to meet and exchange views on the possibilities of deepening the constructive bilateral relations between our countries.
First of all, I would like to briefly review the internal situation in theRepublicofMoldova. As you well know it, we have entered a crucial year for the country's future - a year full of electoral events. On February 24, our citizens are expected to elect a new composition of the Parliament. The electoral competition will continue in the Gagauz autonomy, where on May 19 its citizens will be called to the polls to elect their Governor. We will hopefully reach the election finality in the summer, when local elections are to be held.
Moreover, I do not exclude the possibility of organizing this year, as well, the early parliamentary elections, if the parliamentary majority fails to be created. I make these statements, since there is a very low probability to create any alliance amongst the parties that will enter the Parliament. Thus, the year 2019 will be deeply marked by a wave of electoral processes.
I express my conviction that it is extremely important for these elections to take place in a most fair and transparent manner possible, avoiding gross manipulations, forgery and use of administrative pressure. In this regard, I believe that you, our dear friends and international partners, represent a fundamental factor in ensuring that elections are organized and conducted in strict accordance with democratic standards.
Precisely for this reason I am addressing to Your Excellences, the Organization for Security and Cooperation inEuropeand many other international and regional organizations with the request to deploy a greater number of observers to monitor "at cold" the electoral campaign.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to bring back to discussion the statement which I made on January 21st and to reiterate my decision NOT to involve in the competition for a parliamentary mandate, focusing, instead, my attention as Head of the State, on the internal and external agenda, in order to ensure the strategic development of our country.
I think that decision was necessary and correct, while the entire administration of the state is intentionally deeply politicized and pushed, by some political actors, to the electoral barricades. Under the current circumstances, when the election campaign is already marked by an avalanche of aggressive and irresponsible populism, we considered that the presidential institution must remain impartial, with the President of the Republic positioned above the competition.
In the political context of the recent years, the Presidency has the highest legitimacy based upon citizens' perception, because the President was directly elected by the people of the country. And the opinion polls, every single one, show that the President enjoys the highest trust from the citizens of theRepublicofMoldova. This fact determines me, from a moral and political point of view, to assume the role of arbitrator and mediator in the event of any post-electoral scenarios, implicitly if the situation evolves towards early parliamentary elections.
I sincerely declare that I wish these elections to be finalized with a united and solid majority, which will create a completely new government, more responsible, more oriented towards social policies. Only such a conjuncture can provide the necessary political changes for theRepublicofMoldovaand favor the creation of new premises for the equilibrium of international relations with both the West and the East, keeping firmly the status of neutrality. At the same time, the created context would allow the return of theRepublicofMoldovato the natural path of implementation of the qualitative reforms, which are so needed to boost the socio-economic development of the country.
Regretfully, I have to conclude that the last ten years in the modern history of theRepublicofMoldovacan be seen as a lost decade. The country's economic, social and democratic progress has been largely mimed, with no real effects. Even these governments have been self-titled pro-European, I have not seen anything authentic European from their part. No functional model of political and social organization has been taken over fromEurope. On the contrary, Moldova has been geopolitically self-isolated, the judiciary and the banking systems have been compromised, we have no clear answer related to the state of play of the stolen billion, increased the index of negative perception about the state institutions, the phenomenon of migration has become worse, has fallen to the lowest level the citizens' confidence in their own country.
It is obvious that we need a new government, which will redress these things and injustices. Ample reforms need to be undertaken in the field of justice, to restore citizens' confidence in our judiciary system and once again giving priority to enforcement of fundamental human rights. Fighting corruption must become the absolute priority of the future government, transforming theRepublicofMoldovainto a country free of this shameful phenomenon. Without such quick and responsible actions, I do not think we can advance on the path of economic development, o stop the depopulation phenomenon, or in the process of final political settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.
Dear members of the diplomatic corps,
On the occasion of our meeting, I would like to thank you and to express my gratitude for the assistance you provide to theRepublicofMoldovaon behalf of the states you represent. I refer here both to the European Union and the EU Member States and as well as to the Russian Federation, which, in the absence of any dialogue at intergovernmental level, continues to offer us support, including by reopening the access to its market for Moldovan products.
Also, I would like to thank theUnited States of Americafor the generous support theRepublicofMoldovaenjoys. I would like to express my special gratitude to theRepublicofTurkeyfor its substantial support for the renovation of the Presidency building as well as for the economic and social projects implemented in the south of the country.
I would like to express my gratitude to the People's Republic ofChinafor the programs launched inMoldova, but also for the support given in the charity projects launched by myself and the First Lady.
I am also grateful to all the friendly countries and, in particular, to the neighboring countries with which theRepublicofMoldovadevelops joint partnership and projects in the most diverse areas. I believe it is necessary to further strengthen the friendship relations withRomaniaandUkraine.
Finally, I would like to remind the fact that the year 2019, besides of its electoral significance, is declared, according to the Presidential decree, the Year of the Family. It is right to say that the family is the essential element of any society - because I am convinced that a healthy and prosperous country starts from a healthy and prosperous family.
Another important date of this year is the 660th anniversary from the foundation of the Moldavian Principality, which we will celebrate throughout the year, as a symbol reminding us of our secular statehood.
I would be grateful all of you to join these events, which we intend to organize and conduct throughout the year.
Using this special occasion, allow me to express my sincere admiration and respect to your families, which are a true example of devotion and fidelity: spouses, children who have followed you on missions away from home, away from relatives and friends.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my congratulations and wishes for health and achievements. Hopefully, in 2019, we will all have as many important and positive events as possible.