PLAHOTNIUC BELIEVES RIGHT FORCES CAN DEFEAT THE LEFT, "IF THERE IS A COMMON INTEREST"

Democratic Party leader Vlad Plahotniuc, the 'executive coordinator' of the ruling coalition in Moldova, believes the Right forces can well defeat the Left ones, if the Right have a common interest, he stated in the interview published by the www.ziarulnational.md on Monday.

Commenting on the November 19 municipal referendum in Chisinau, Plahotniuc said that "as a matter of fact, nobody has won, but it is obvious that the Left forces have sustained a resounding defeat, particularly the Socialists who tried to take the Chisinau Primaria by force".

"As a matter of fact, a part of the blame for the current situation in Chisinau is on the Socialists, who have been using various methods for quite a long period to blockade the work of the Chisinau Municipal Council. So, now citizens have given a clear answer to the Socialists, and the boycott of the referendum announced by the Right parties, including the Democratic Party, played a crucial role in the referendum outcome. Even without planning all this, the Right forces have shown they can defeat the Left, if only there is a common goal", said Plahotniuc.

Touching on the further situation in Chisinau, Vlad Plahotniuc said that the Liberals and Socialists are continuing to control the Chisinau Municipal Council [city legislature], "whereas the Democratic Party cannot control the Chisinau Primaria [city government]. However, by means of the country's central authorities the Democratic Party can render help to the Primaria, if certainly it will be implementing good projects in citizens' interests".

Asked about the 2018 parliamentary election, Plahotniuc stated that some political parties have started their election campaigns too prematurely.

"I guess this is good for us because the opposition parties are showing they have no serious things in their minds, and they are thus demonstrating their limited possibilities. During one year to the election, citizens will come to understand what this or that party is worth. On the one hand, the Party of Socialists is playing unhappy referenda, and on the other hand the Right opposition forces have gone as far as representing criminals. Their leaders have remained without political messages, so they are presenting the position of criminals who have committed grave crimes", said Vlad Plahotniuc.

Touching on the application, which Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) Chairperson Maya Sandu submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office demanding it to sue Plahotniuc in court, the DP leader stated that Maya Sandu is thus trying to shift the public's attention away from certain painful questions disadvantageous for her. He referred to the education reform and to school closure by then-Minister of Education Maya Sandu, "which had led to a serious crisis in the education sector".

Vlad Plahotniuc categorically refuted the assertions about the alleged existence of a covert political partnership between the Democrats and Socialists.

"There is no such political partnership. On the institutional level, there is communication between institutions, but it leaves very much to be desired. In most cases there appear various blockages rather than decisions. Many people want a war between the Democratic Party and the Party of Socialists, between Plahotniuc and Dodon. Why do the Right opposition forces want this? Because they want instability in the country. They hate the very thought that our Government is working peacefully, meeting its commitments to foreign partners, and that results can already be seen. For them, it will be just a catastrophe if the Government keeps working in such a way. Until the next year's parliamentary election, the opposition may be downgraded to a zero. That's why they need scandals, blockading of Moldova's external funding - anything to upset the Government's work", said Vlad Plahotniuc.