“For these reasons, the new administration must also take into account the likelihood of bad times looming over its grand plans. That is why, in order to secure popular support, PAS should act fairly, in accordance with the law, and should avoid creating and reinforcing reprehensible precedents...”
Similarities
The Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) administration is in a hurry to convince citizens that the good times have already arrived. The good times started when the Parliament convened in an extraordinary session and began to dismantle the legacy of previous administrations and to rebuild state institutions. It is somewhat natural for this to happen. However, the actions of the new administration are not the only things that count. The manner in which the new administration does things also matters. PAS's lack of experience, for the time being, will shape its activity. In this context, PAS's first steps, which are in violation of the transparency norms in decision-making and legislative procedures, represent an extremely worrying signal.
While responding to criticisms concerning the committed violations, PAS representatives roll their eyes and act surprised that their noble intentions are not understood. As if previous governments did not have noble intentions. The citizens know that previous parties also had noble intentions, which is why they voted them into power; however, the results have been disastrous. PAS talking points in favor of ignoring the rules of transparency in decision-making are quite curious - it reminds of the previous socialist Parliament majority, which in December 2020 rushed through a series of important laws. It is curious that PAS is consciously allowing itself to pick up the damning experience of its predecessors, knowing that half of the rushed laws were subsequently declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court (CC). By the way, the CC has already accustomed us to declaring unconstitutional the legislative acts adopted in violation of the prescribed procedures!
Therefore, right from the beginning of the so-called good times, PAS seems to have set out to convince us that, in fact, it cannot detach itself from the reflexes conditioned by the perennial interests of the Moldovan political class. In this context, the similarity between the actions of the new and old administrations are striking. Administrations change, but their mores remain unchanged. PAS has decided to pay tribute to tradition by deliberately treading on the same rakes as its predecessors. The question is whether we can expect different results from the same kind of actions?
To be fair, following criticism, PAS representatives assured the public that debates and consultations, which were to be held before the inclusion of the bills on the extraordinary session agenda, will be held before the inclusion of the bills on the agenda in the second reading.
Dear administration, before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean
There is no doubt that the legacy received by the new administration, especially the quality of law and regulatory institutions, is more of a burden than a valuable asset. However, the PAS administration's haste in moving to reform the institutions is eroding much of the reputation that is just beginning to take shape. It is true that without effective institutions good times will never come to Moldova. But instead of thoughtful actions based on a clear concept of the great clean-up, we have all witnessed a series of sporadic actions accompanied by threats against the heads and employees of a number of institutions.
In normal circumstances, one would expect that the new governance would develop performance assessing criteria for institutions at the outset and would apply them in a competent manner so that no one would question their conclusiveness and effectiveness. This was not the case! In great haste, the head of state and a couple of PAS MPs launched an attack on the Prosecutor's Office and on the prosecutor general, alerting public opinion. Following the attack, a draft amendment to the law on the Prosecutor's Office was registered. The new administration's intentions were also highlighted by Prime Minister Natalia Gavriliță, who urged the members of her cabinet of ministers to be the prosecutors of their subordinate institutions during the great clean-up process.
In these circumstances, the response of the Prosecutor's Office was swift and in line with the actions of the new administration. The Prosecutor's Office replied that the administration was incompetent and liable for punishment, which served as a reminder that those who point fingers should have their hands clear. This reaction raises concerns because it shows that antagonism preceded the institution performance assessing process, which heralds a long-standing confrontation between the administration and autonomous state institutions. The rationale and the consistency of actions are important because they condition whether the actions are supported or rejected. We can therefore only note that what could have been done in an acceptable manner - the reasoned imposition of performance evaluation on institutions - was done in a hurry and in a roundabout way. Thus, for the time being, the new administration does not appear to be more competent than the institutions it wishes to reform.
Conclusions
PAS started its governance by stepping on old and new rakes. But there is no evil without good. If PAS admits its blunders, it has plenty of time to fix them and to implement its governing program.
Whether good times will come depends not only on the competence and coherence of the actions of the new administration, but also on a number of objective factors: the evolution of the pandemic crisis; the effects of climate change on agriculture; energy prices; the international and regional economic situation, etc. For these reasons, the new administration must also take into account the likelihood of bad times looming over its grand plans. That is why, in order to secure popular support, PAS should act fairly, in accordance with the law, and should avoid creating and reinforcing reprehensible precedents.
Citizens, naturally, should continue to wait for the good times they voted for to come. It will be appropriate to talk about good times when: pensions and salaries will be able to provide citizens with a decent standard of living; the economy will pick up the projected speed and develop new capacities for growth; citizens' rights and culture development levels will allow Moldova to shed its status of an underdeveloped agrarian province of Europe; young people will prefer to stay in Moldova and build their professional careers here, etc. Thus, we are still a long way from seeing the good times coming. However, we must act in a consolidated way in the right direction.
Victor Pelin
See related articles:
- Common candidate, slightly independent... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Prospects of battle of Pobeda bloc. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Conduct of 2024 census. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Presidential amnesia syndrome. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Impact of setting of date of presidential election and constitutional referendum. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Communist-Socialist gorillas against Victory. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Ex-premier Vasile Tarlev’s fourth attempt to return to politics. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Day of victory over fascism against the background of its reanimation. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About constitutional referendum. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Manipulation by omission and shifting of emphasis. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Thoughts on 15th anniversary of April 7-8, 2009 events... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Referendum inflation. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Thoughts generated by Moscow terrorist attack. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Intrigue of Russia presidential election. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Guțul eclipsed Vlah? Op-ed by Victor Pelin
- Why does Irina Vlah’s platform risk not enjoying support? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What is at stake in presidential election. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of fifth column and reaction of society. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Consequences of Yalta Conference: liberators vs. occupiers. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Sample of plagiarism and manipulation by omission. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Who won the elections yet? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About author of transformation of utopia into antiutopia. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About state anti-Semitism... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About miracles and winter holidays... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Longest war of Soviet imperialism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Origin of culture of denouncements and informers. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Story of white bull is not most boring one... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Choice of Bessarabians... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Reanimation of propaganda reflexes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About memorable dates and undelivered promises... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Loss and reassertion of identity... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- On brink of eternity... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Interpretation of polls by politicians. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Glorification of Soviet-Nazi victory. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Choice imposed by two symbolic events. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Many mobilized, few elected... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Threats and intimidation on Independence Day. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The impossibility of communism with a human face. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Second attempt to step into same river. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Gagauz crisis – developer of moral decadence. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Inauguration of governor of Dreamland... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Carthage must be destroyed! Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Ace of spades and resuscitation of success story. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Forcing doors open... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Special civil military operation. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- While waiting for Constitutional Court judgment... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral prelude... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Dreamland of political adventurists... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Habit cures habit? Op-Ed de Victor Pelin
- Ultima ratio. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Fair of Communist-Socialist generosity. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Without MIR, for peace between nations, against aggression... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Silence kept by wedding party guests and deception of Shor’s victim... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Echo of April 7 events… Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Justifying rhetoric for eventual Russian aggression. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Exaggerated capacities of Maia Sandu... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Igor Dodon’s premonitions and its effects. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Communists make call for terror? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- How long will we remain caught in the toils of falsehoods? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Subversive actions – Russia relapses? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Critics of Gavrilița Government... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Apostles of war. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Times of Natashas have come? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Traditional values... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Black swan, the last hope... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Regime of Putin declared terrorist. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Lost letters. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The European alternative of Mayor Ion Ceban. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- When hounds growls, puppies also bark... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Devastating potential of powerful Putinist ideas. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The crab, the frog and a pike... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Europeanization of Gagauzia. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Cooperation with NATO and complementation of 3C strategy. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About benefits of occupation... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Geopolitical alternative, stake of opposition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Wormhole and end of Moldovan geopolitics... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Half-truths more dangerous than lies... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- 3D – Despair, Demagogy, Deja-vu – strategy. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Natalia beating round the bush in Big House. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Weak government challenged by discredited and confused opposition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- End of post-Soviet transition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Misanthrope atavism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- May! Labor! Peace? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Spring fever and opium for people. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What purpose do opinion polls serve? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Hybrid warfare of government and opposition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Invitation to aggression ... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Maia Sandu and PAS – beneficiaries of special operation... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Kaa and hypnotized monkeys. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Russian or Arab spring? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Russia builds a new world order... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Crocodile will not pull back... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The powder keg. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Multipolar world after 15 years of pretensions... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Like it or not, country will rebuild itself. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Socialists oscillating between three models. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What is permissible for Jupiter is not permissible for ... Op-Ed by VictorPelin
- Between hammer and anvil. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- 2022, year of geopolitical crises. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- “Congress of winners” or Parallels between Igor Dodon and Mahtama Gandhi. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Enigma shrouded in mystery... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Revolt of Ilan Șor’s company... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Pension system and politicians’ speculations. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What is good and what is bad... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- How to fight hatred and foolishness? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Maia Sandu’s one year of presidency. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Gerontocracy in action. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- We do not surrender country to foreigners? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- First electoral test for new government. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Năstase, Filip, Dodon... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Cases of Stoianoglo and Gațcan. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Yellow and maroon bullshit. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Charm of electronic voting. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Moldova, Moldovans, Moldovan? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Lustration. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Waiting for good times... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Similar steps in foreign policy... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
-
- Power and opposition... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Vote of Transnistrians. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral confusions. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of disappearance of Moldova. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Lack of discernment. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Futuristic reflections. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral fibs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Voronin’s panegyric. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Speculative geopolitics. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Turns of political weathervanes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Assimilators and pretenders to Plahotniuc’s inheritance. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Does Moldova have a future? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Communists’ amnesia. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Who divides society? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About electoral blocs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Joint effort of parties of the left... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About constitutional aberrations. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Usurpations of usurped power… Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of regional war... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Bafflement of Socialists. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Competition of Igor Dodon vs. Maia Sandu. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Enigma of April 7, 2009 events. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Zinaida Grechanyi complains to Council of Europe. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Vaccination and political games. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Why is Maia Sandu more dangerous than Vlad Plahotniuc? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Institutional memory of Moldova’s presidential administration. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Coalition of the brazen. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Steps towards Union... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Troublesome decree. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Success of failure... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Balance of accomplishments of Presidents elected by general vote... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Orthodox Church in danger... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- PSRM, QUO VADIS? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Confrontation between Mentor and Tester. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Russia confirms high quality of Moldovan wine. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- “List of sins” of Maia Sandu. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Maia Sandu’s “taburetka”. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Delayed actions of Maia Sandu. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Socialists’ departures and decline. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Inevitability of snap elections. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Boomerang. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- In Moscow, after directives... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Unfavorable inheritance. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of Igor Dodon’s opportunism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Preparations for snap elections. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral performance of unionists. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Grimaces of neo-paganism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Socialists’ dilemma. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- From defeat to defeat up to victory... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- National consensus and division of society. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Imperialist movement vs. NGOs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Paganism vs. Christian values. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Renato Usatyi versus Igor Dodon. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Ana Guțu and watchdogs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Splendor and misery... of propagandists. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About lackeys and sons of a bitch. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Bifurcated candidates. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The discrepancy between words and deeds. Op-Ed byVictor Pelin
- Coincidence? I don’t think so! Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Moldovan political fauna, Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- It looks uglier in reality than from afar, Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- “Russian people’s present”, Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Independence Day. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Commemoration of victims of totalitarian regimes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Vaccination and chipping of Moldovans. Pamphlet by Victor Pelin
- Balanced foreign policy. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Solution: Annulment of presidential elections! Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Beam in Maia’s eye… Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- A new attack with gases, Op-Ed
- Renato Usatyi – President Dodon’s Furgal, Op-Ed
- While waiting for... Patriarch Kirill, Op-Ed
- President Dodon’s change of orientation, Op-Ed
- Where is the money, Ștefănică? Op-Ed