On the eve of the second round of the general local elections, ZdG tried to ask both candidates for the position of Mayor of Chișinău: Andrei Năstase, Minister of Internal Affairs and vice deputy and candidate of the ACUM Bloc and Ion Ceban deputy and candidate of the Socialist Party, the same set of questions.

Andrei Năstase, the ACUM Bloc’s candidate for the position of Mayor of Chișinău:

ZdG: What are three of the most important projects you would do if you were a mayor?

A.N: People’s expectations, cleanness, and when I refer to cleanness, of course, I also refer to the future of the City Hall, the total transparency of the administrative processes there. 

I am also referring to the sanitation of this city. Today I even talked about the need to solve the problem of the Treatment Station, the one that already made our life infernal. 

Of course, transportation is another problem. These are the priorities. We can’t talk about three things you want to do tomorrow as if we were in the primary school.

ZdG: What do you know about the quality of nutrition in kindergartens. If your children were in Moldova, what kindergartens would they go to?

A.N: It is not sufficient to refer to food only in terms of quality. You have seen that, lately, more and more checks prove that, in terms of quality, there are many problems. I will come up with a special program, to stimulate the local producer, more specifically the one that produces apples, for example. I have a program already prepared: “An apple for every child.” 

We also have the necessary sums, so that the 88,000 children from Chișinău benefit from this program. I would be glad if we could find funds to implement other programs regarding the children’s nutrition. 

With regard to kindergartens, I do not differentiate between my children and the others and I would be exactly where the other parents are. From every position that I am in, I do my best to improve the quality of people’s life, and in relation to children, we need to have an approach that is as correct as possible.

ZdG: And when will your children go to a kindergarten in Chișinău?

A.N: My children are not the kindergarten age. I have two sons, one is in college, the second is in the last year of high school, which is one of the reasons why I cannot bring him home because I would destroy his perspective, I would destroy his future.

ZdG: Do you think you will destroy their future if they come to Chișinău?

A.N: You exaggerate and please … No, I did not say this and I ask you to be careful, because there are the trolls of Plahotniuc and Dodon who just can’t wait to interpret, and they will. I did not say that. I said I would destroy a perspective now that he is in the 11^th form in case I brought him to another school. He has another year to go. You see how sensitive this aspect is to me, when all kinds of mercenaries have attacked my family and my children. 

There is a reason as objective as possible, he has another year to go to the high school he has attended for the last seven years. So this is why I tell you there is something else before I can see all of us at home, close to me, and my wife and child. 

My little girl is five years old and she goes to a kindergarten where her mother lives and when we solve the other problems in the family, of course she will come here with us and go to any of the kindergartens in the city. 

Until then, I am sure that I will be able, in my capacity as mayor, together with my colleagues from the ACUM Bloc, to improve the conditions and food in our kindergartens and schools.

ZdG: Corruption cases opened in the names of some officials in the City Hall usually end up with decisions to restore officials to their positions. What will you do with the corruption in the City Hall?

A.N: I said earlier that eradicating corruption is a priority for me. And as for the court decisions, we know very well that a court decision is not discussed, it is executed. Of course, we will make every effort so that the Prosecutor’s Office as well as the state institutions are informed about the illegal acts of corruption of officials in the City Hall.

ZdG: Why are those who are held red-handed justified and reinstated?

A.N: We had a politically controlled, mafia justice and the former government was based on this, on corrupt officials, on officials who, instead of performing the functions that provide them with public dignity, served the former government. 

Now things are changing. Some processes of reforming the Prosecutor’s Office have started as well as some processes of reforming the justice. The system is still opposing, but I am confident that, together with all those involved in these processes, we will be able to complete them.

ZdG: What do you say to voters who always vote with the political left?

A.N: I tell those who support the left wing, as well as the people who stand for the right wing, that the city does not belong to either of them. The city is for all citizens and I urge each of them to analyze who and what good can do for them and for the city. 

For instance, I urge those who did not vote for me last year, this time to do so, taking into account the fact that the person they voted for did not consult with anyone when he decided to complicit with Plahotniuc in canceling the elections in Chișinău. 

I urge all people of good faith to understand that, above our political interests, our ideologies, there is a need for the sustainable development of Chișinău and it is time to stop doing cosmetic repairs and mend and patch. It is time to develop Chișinău sustainably and I can do it together with my team, at this moment, having the support of internal partners, I refer here to the Government of Maia Sandu, to the local experts, but also to our partners in Romania and from the West. 

ZdG: If you were a voter, why wouldn’t you vote for Andrei Năstase?

A.N: I wouldn’t have many reasons not to vote for Andrei Năstase. When you vote someone you must see, first of all their past, see their facts, and believe less at what others say about the person. 

I think I have demonstrated over time that this country and this city are dear to me, the people of our country and our city are dear to me. I showed that when they were silent, I was fighting. I showed that when Dodon and Ceban were complicit with Plahotniuc and the local mafia, I was persecuted and prosecuted. 

I was told that when Ivan Ceban was making coffee for Dodon and Plahotniuc, I was subjected to interceptions, along with my family, my colleagues from the DA Platform, the ACUM Bloc. 

So, things are more than obvious. All I have done in life, I have done thinking of people, thinking of my country, my city and the demonstration of this fact is that today we are free, here in the city, and we no longer have the pressure we used to have half a year ago.

ZdG: Why wouldn’t you vote for Ion Ceban?

A.N: Because he is an exponent of structures hostile to development, hostile to modernization. He is an exponent of the past. A man who, having held certain functions over time, had the opportunity to demonstrate, to deliver results for the city. Together with his colleagues, he became an accomplice to the real estate mafia who took over the city. 

Ivan Ceban shamelessly lies everywhere and anytime. So, I do not vote for people who have in their political DNA betrayal and lies. The voters decided once last year. Unfortunately, their vote was canceled with Ceban’s assistance. 

An additional reason is that he did not assume the responsibility for leaving the city for a year and a half without an elected mayor, after he lost the elections. I wonder if this time again, when he loses the election, he will do the same – he will address the still unreformed justice, to cancel the people’s vote. 

There would be more reasons not to vote for him, but I don’t know if I’m the one who needs to analyze them. People have convinced of populism, of lack of substance of what was said and done by Ion Ceban, it is unfair to attribute some merits that are not even yours. They belong to the entire administrative apparatus of Chișinău City Hall. Some merits or facts that happened due to the taxpayers’ money. It’s unfair.

Ion Ceban, the candidate of the Socialist Party for the position of Mayor of Chișinău:

ZdG: What are three of the most important projects you would do if you were a mayor?

I.C.: …………………..

ZdG: What do you know about the quality of nutrition in kindergartens. If your children were in Moldova, what kindergartens would they go to?

I.C.: …………………..

ZdG: Corruption cases opened in the names of some officials in the City Hall usually end up with decisions to restore officials to their positions. What will you do with the corruption in the City Hall?

I.C.: …………………..

ZdG: What do you say to voters who always vote with the political right?

I.C.: …………………..

ZdG: If you were a voter, why wouldn’t you vote for Ion Ceban?

I.C.: …………………..

ZdG: Why wouldn’t you vote for Andrei Năstase?

I.C.: …………………..

Ion Ceban, the candidate of the Socialist Party for the position of Mayor of Chișinău, at first accepted the invitation of the editorial office, however, half an hour before the established time he announced us that he will not be able to participate in the dialogue.

On Thursday, October 24, 2019, ZdG contacted Ion Ceban to agree about the date and time of the interview. He forwarded us to Ana Ilașciuc, his spokesperson. On the same day, as we talked with her, she informed us that Ion Ceban agreed to come for a discussion with ZdG on Tuesday, October 29, at 3.30 pm, at the editorial office.

Half an hour before the appointed time, however, we were informed that “something urgent” intervened and the Socialist Party candidate for the position of Mayor of Chișinău will not come for the previously established interview. ZdG regrets candidate Ion Ceban’s behavior…