21 Oct 2019 21:57

Moldova's Party of Socialists, right-wing ACUM bloc express readiness to create coalition at local level

CHISINAU. Oct 21 (Interfax) - The pro-presidential Party of Socialists of Moldova (PSRM) has officially offered the right-wing ACUM bloc to initiate the process of establishing coalitions at the local level, PSRM Chairperson and Parliamentary Speaker Zinaida Greceanii said.

"The Party of Socialists achieved great results at local elections, which had taken place on Sunday. We won 124 posts of mayors of towns and villages out of 898 in the first round. In another 179 populated localities, the candidates from the PSRM made it to the second round of elections. Our candidates in 12 cities became mayors representing socialists and in another 18 they advanced to the second round," Greceanii told journalists on Monday.

According to her, the PSRM won the absolute majority of seats of councilors in four district councils, won in the four districts of Gagauzia and was ranked first in 11 districts.

"Therefore, socialists will nominate their candidate for a district head in 18 districts. In order to form the majority in district councils, as well as in town and village councils, we offer cooperation to the ACUM bloc to establish the new government structures and begin working for the benefit of the people as soon as possible. We are different, but we can join our efforts. Our cooperation, which resulted in the change of the government at the central level, proved that it is possible to cast aside political ambitions and act for the benefit of the state," Greceanii said.

The PSRM's candidate for Chisinau mayor, Ion Ceban, who advanced to the second round of elections alongside the ACUM bloc's Andrei Nastase, also suggested establishing a coalition at the level of the municipal authorities of the Moldovan capital.

He mentioned at a briefing on Monday that "following the election on October 20, the PSRM won the first place and will have 22 local councilor seats, while the ACUM won 19."

"However, 26 votes are needed in order to make decisions as part of a council, therefore I offer the ACUM bloc to move forward as a coalition. For my part, if I win the second round, I offer the bloc the positions of two vice mayors out of four and two pretors of Chisinau's sectors [microdistrict heads] out of five. I also offer the ACUM bloc the post of the head of the municipal council," Ceban said.

He also suggested "establishing new departments in the mayor's office, on architectural planning and bilateral cooperation with Romanian cities." Ceban offered the posts of the directors of new departments to Victor Chironda and Octavian Ticu, the candidates who won less than 2% and 5% of votes, respectively.

Ceban noted that he is "not going to throw in the towel" after the first round and

is "firmly committed to moving forward" in the second.

"No one wants an unprofessional person to head the city. This is why I will do my best to prove that I am the worthiest candidate for the Chisnau mayor," the socialist said.

Moldovan President Igor Dodon earlier called on the ruling coalition comprised of the PSRM and the ACUM bloc to work together after the local elections. Dodon called on the political forces and their leaders "to exercise political maturity during the campaign for the second round of the elections, hold an appropriate electoral campaign in the spirit of democracy with an emphasis on searching ways to resolve the issues citizen are facing rather than outburst against other people."

The ACUM bloc and its chairs Prime Minister Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase, a candidate for the Chisinau mayor to compete in the second round, have not responded to the PSRM's suggestions yet.

Local elections took place in Moldova, including the mayoral election in Chisinau, on Sunday. A total of 3,761 candidates competed for 898 mayoral mandates, and 50,410 people ran for 11,580 seats of councilors at various levels. The PSRM won the majority of seats in municipal, town and district councils in 18 districts, the ACUM bloc in 12 and the Democratic Party, which is now in the opposition, in six.

The PSRM won 37.62% of votes with 22 seats, ACUM 33.27% (19 seats), and the Liberal Party 6.26% (three seats) in the elections to the municipal council of Chisinau. Two more parties won two seats and another three one each.

The PSRM's Ceban garnered 40.16% of votes in the Chisinau mayoral election, while Nestase 31.09%. They advanced to the second round to take place on November 3.