“Molodej Moldovy”11.09.99

Mr Mayor, there are a lot of problems in the city. We have difficulties with heat and water supply. Doctors and teachers are going to strike. Kishinev is not a poor city, but, as far as we know, you, being the head of the city hall, do not have enough freedom in managing funds of the capital…

- In the capital like in any other settlement of Moldova there are certain difficulties. The financial situation in the city looks rather successful. Kishinev is the main donor of the state budget. The consolidated budget has about 70 % of the capital funds including 60 % of all the state budget means, about 59 % are of the local and 60 % - of the Social fund budget. The growth of accumulating funds is 130% comparing with the last year! It you take just the Social Fund, from which, as you know, pensions and benefits are paid, you will see that we have remitted about 330 million lei. Until the end of this year this sum will increase up to 30-40 million. We spend 130-135 million lei for the city pensioners. If we add the pensioners living in the villages related to Kishinev, we will have 200 million in all. This is very much but the city is unable not to help the village. The present year was one of the most successful: in 99 we exceeded 1.5 billion lei for the first time. To compare – in 1994 Kishinev accumulated a little bit more than 500 thousand. The progress is obvious. I should be glad, but I can’t. This figure testifies not only about the prosperity of the capital, but also about the deplorable situation of other Moldovan settlements. They are unable to accumulate funds both for their needs and for the needs of the state. In addition to that, you are quite right, we are not able to dispose the money to have been collected. To put it mildly, from 1995 the queer approach to the budget formation is practiced in the Republic. This is much more rigid dictatorship than that to have been existing at the time of the Soviet power. The fixed figures are given by the Ministry of Finance and we do not have right to deviate from them. And you will not have more whatever you do. We have got the paradoxical situation: the better you work the poorer you live. Frankly speaking, it is predatory treatment of our government to the city. In the world over the budget is formed from below and only in our state the expenses are exceedingly reduced by some voluntary decisions. How can they do that? We do our best, widen the taxable base. When I became the Mayor, Kishinev only had 18 thousand economic agents, and now there are 46 thousand of them. They pay taxes, provide people with work. Remember, in 1994 the retailers in the streets were about to create troubles to the traffic. They were practically everywhere. We were advised to disperse them without ceremony, but we do not have the right for it. We should be grateful to these people who are trying to survive in some way. We gradually regulated the trade. The capital formerly had just two markets and thirty-two of them now. They all duly pay money to the state budget. The situation with the city transport has radically improved. The number of the city fixed-route taxis has increased several times. By the way, it is 13 million lei a year. The owners of the fixed-route taxis, if you remember, did not want to pay taxes. But I said: if you want to work in the city, you will observe the order, established here. In general, we work, earn money but can’t use them as we want.

Evidently, the problems with paying salaries and pensions, the cause of possible strikes, appeared because of it?

- There are rules of striking and I can’t understand why the faxes of the protest actions, being preparing, are sent on Sunday from the office of “Triada” notable for its strict pass control. It would be better to say, I know, but I can’t say more as yet.

So, will the strikes happen or not?

- I met the heads of all the Kishinev medical organizations. We turned out to have to pay for the own vision of the reform course. In defiance to the government decision we did not take antihuman measures. For example, we did not destroy the system of the children’s hobby groups and sections. If we had done this, 125 thousand the Kishinev pupils would have deprived their hobbies with all the inevitable consequences. The children are provided with free food nowhere in Moldova except Kishinev, and it costs 8.5 million lei to the municipal budget. Kishinev is the only place in the CIS, where the pupils and students have benefits for using the public transport. 15-17 million lei a year from the city treasure are annually spent for this. If we followed the instructions of the government and the Ministry of Health we would have no problems now. We would have dismissed all the employees and no strikes. Last five years we have had no pension or salary arrears. The salary and pension arrears only appeared during last three months, but this is temporary.

As we have touched upon the theme of the city hall relations with state authorities, tell us what branch of power is easier to deal with – government, parliament or president?

- I did not manage to settle a single question in the government or parliament for five years. The President treated the city problems with understanding. I tell it by no means due to the present conflict between the branches of power. Judge for yourself: these five years the telephone connected with government rang four or five times in connection with the problems of the capital. But it never stops ringing with requests and demands for themselves, for their relatives and friends. It is especially active in the moments of the governments and parliaments changes: such an impression, that the people when parting with their posts and mandates want to solve all their problems at the expense of the municipal budget and municipal economy.

Recently, you have become an object of telling criticism from the direction of some political figures. Many people disposed to draw a parallel between you and Yury Lujkov, currently, the life is not sweet for him too…

- The vast problem of the Moldovan politicians is absence of the elementary political culture. In addition to that, I am not afraid of this word, the process of population debilization is being conducted in Moldova. This process is well handled. Judge for yourself: at the end of 1994 the government adopted a decision to stop wire radio broadcasting. Radio outlets, from where the population could learn something have disappeared. Three-fourth of the settlements of republic does not have electricity, the people do not have possibility to watch TV. The newspapers are not subscribed in the villages – there is no money. The salaries and pensions are given in alcohol. What it is if not the deliberate debilization of the own people?! Our outstanding politicians are not clever enough to use their own heads. They see Lujkov being scolded in Moscow and begin to scold Urecheanu. Seriously speaking, the anti-Urecheanu campaign is connected with the ambition of many Moldovan political parties to see me among them and being obedient.

And you are principally outside any party…

- The city is my party. Ultimately, I made certain of that on 23 May. To win the elections in the first tour when there are seven competitors promoted by the powerful political parties is very meaningful. The Kishinev inhabitants trust me and I very treasure this confidence. It is the great honour and the great responsibility for me.

One our reader sent a letter to our editorial office, in which he is blaming you in the crisis to have broken out in Moldova. “Why didn’t Urecheanu take the administration of the country economy to himself?”- he wrote.

- The question asked by your reader is not quite correct. I was content with the proposal to head the government. But the Aliance for Democracy and Reforms that was governing at that time did not support my conditions. To manage, one should have the control stick. However, the Parliament wanted to manipulate me like a marionette. By it is impossible to make me do something by force. Even my parents did not afford themselves to treat me like this. The degree of the collective irresponsibility of the highest state figures is staggering. If I were in charge, I would disslove this Parliament long ago. I am sure we would not have come to the present dramatic situation if I had been allowed to form a government, at least. But they demanded me to head the same government, they say “Come, prove, that you can work”. And the question emerges: was Ion Ciubuk (one of the Moldovan Prime Ministers) the worst person in the government because all other ministers kept their portfolios? I have been visiting the government sittings for 14 years and I see what and how is done. We had some meetings with the ADR, considered the cast of the government. Every time we agreed that this information is confidential and every time it was given publicity. About what can we speak to these people? One can’t play in governing the country, it should be properly governed. One should not exclusively be occupied with the external debt service leaving the population to the mercy of fate, like it was done by the last government.

In 2005, when you possibly become the President of Moldova, will you be able to get along with the Parliament?

- To begin with, I do not want to be the President. I haven’t got such ambitions. The complicated and troublesome city economy is enough for me. It is another matter– if the people need it. And about the relationship with the Parliament – I can say: it is necessary to change the law about the Parliament elections urgently. What a parliament that is not able to form the Government for a month? It is a unique irresponsibility. The present chamber of deputies should be urgently dissolved. I was the deputy of the first Parliament after the Moldovan independence declaration. And we have enough political will to adopt a decision about the self-dissolution. We transferred power a year earlier. The next Parliament should be elected according to the new law. Take a look, the deputies do not change virtually. Many of them have been sitting in the Parliament two or three terms changing the factions. There is no independent deputy, practically no deputies from provinces. As a result, the lack of elementary voters’ control giving rise to irresponsibility. Tell me – who is your delegate?

We can’t remember.

- That is that.

Well, there is own parliament today, many-party municipal council. Can you get along with them?

- We do. We work very democratically (striking with his fist on the table). I declared to my advisors: I am only interested in the city and city inhabitants and if the decision adopted by the council will be against them, that won’t do. It seems to me that my words were understood properly. If made concessions to them, began to flirt with the members of Council, the situation would be worse than in the Parliament. I never stop repeating: it is possible to work with any persons, but you have to have political will and responsibility.

It used to be much spoken, that you were going to build a nuclear power plant in Kishinev…

- The power security of the country is not guaranteed at the moment. We are too dependent on external factors. Unfortunately, it the nearest time the situation won’t change to the better. The last government virtually buried the idea of building the 300-megawatt electric power station in Budesti; it was able to provide half of Moldova demands in electricity. And we perfectly understand why. The biggest irresponsibility is in the power sector and that is why the power mafia is the most influential and mighty.

Do you have hobbies? Fishing, hunting…

- I am a passionate hunter, but I did not take my gun for three years. From morning till night I am at my work without days-off and holidays. The president of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilumzhinov, with whom we have friendly relations, invited me to hunt, but the President did not let me go.

Obviously, you do not frequent home; what’s your family attitude to your overworking?

- I have no problems with my family; my relatives understand me perfectly, and they do not scold me for my never-ending being at work.

Do you communicate with your colleagues, mayors of other capitals?

- I have friendly relations with mayors of Paris, Athens, Kiev, and, of course, Bucharest, Odessa, Jerusalem. They all are wonderful people.

Do you have a dream?

- Just one – I want Kishinev to be the most beautiful capital of Europe. And I will do my best that it come true.

May the Lord help you!