At the end of 2019, Igor Dodon promised that by 2020, the average wage will be increased by around 400 euros (8,000 lei), the pensions will be indexed twice per year, the birth allowance will be increased by around 19 euros (380 lei), the financing of the first house project will continue, the allocations for roads’ constructions and repairs will grow by 60 percent compared to 2019, the allowances for the winter period will be raised from around 18 to 25 euros (350 to 500 lei), while the allowances for veterans will be raised from around 5 to 15 euros (100 to 300 lei)…

ZdG asked the experts if in 2020 we will live better than in 2019 and if all these promises will become reality.

Valeriu Muravschi, Former-Prime Minister

The presidential elections are coming and promises have been made and will be made again…This is what our so-called politicians can do the best. The political populism is at the head of the table.

In 2016, Dodon promised that people will not pay for recovering the billion anymore, and he will recover the money. He also promised that the thieves will be put in jail, that our economy will grow, that all exports to the Russian market will resume, and the Moldovans who operate on the Russian market will have priority. But where’s the billion? Where are the thieves? 

A working patent in Russia for Moldovans costs at least 300 euros (6000 lei)… Dodon promises indexing pensions twice a year. But he doesn’t say with how much, because it’s a drop in the bucket.

The budget deficit for 2020 is around €401.2 million (7.4 billion lei) …Where will we take the money from? Our foreign investors are increasingly reserved in giving money because they have promised reforms, money was spent, but reforms were not made.

I have heard Prime Minister Ion Chicu that the government will borrow from the domestic market, from the commercial banks. And this is a rip-off. I don’t think Moldova has perspectives. 

Victor Leancă, the Pensioners’ Union 

I’ve received a congratulation letter from the president, these days. It contains more promises for the old ones. What can I say? The electoral campaign started. Everything is said well, but we know from the past years that very little or nothing will be done. 

Dodon considers it a great deed that pensions will be indexed twice a year. But with how much? And what is the point, if they will be indexed compared to the last year’s prices and taxes, not with the current ones? 

In 2020, we will live with the pensions calculated at prices from 2019 … And that’s not all. About 400,000 retirees out of over 700,000 have pensions below the lower threshold of the consumer basket around 30, 36, up to 50 euros (600, 700, up to 1000 lei), while the minimum consumption basket is almost 82 euros (1600 lei). And this is how it is from year to year. 

The holidays are over, and we are preparing to visit the Minister of Health and the Prime Minister Ion Chicu, maybe we can change the logic of things, as like this it’s impossible to live.

Veronica Abramciuc, the Alternative Fund

We will not be better off. Healthcare will not become more affordable, tariffs will increase. The ones for transport and fuel already increased. The demography will get worse, less children will be born, Moldovans will keep leaving the country, and life will keep deteriorating…

Dodon comes with promises for 2020, forgetting the ones he didn’t accomplish in three years since he is president. He promises to increase pensions, salaries, but does not say anything about prices.

Even if they (the salaries) get bigger (who knows how much), people will spend more anyway, because prices will increase … He doesn’t talk about prices, to maintain prices at least for basic goods and products, even if they are a socialist, with a government and a parliament, both controlled by socialists…They are, in fact, ghosts and people mustn’t run after ghosts anymore…

Valentin Dolganiuc, Political Commentator 

Dodon uses political propaganda, all he says is electoral PR. We all understand that Moldova’s economy has no place to grow, and without economic growth, the salaries, pensions, allowances will not increase and we will not have better infrastructure. 

Foreign investments might be a solution, but investors will not come if there is no guarantee for their investment. 

And our foreign partners will not give us money unless the government makes reforms. Not even one cent has entered Moldova, for 2020. Russia didn’t give money, though it promised, and it’s unlikely it will give. 

Russia has invested here only in propaganda, media, and parties. We are in an electoral year and what Dodon declares is only promises, and if anyone thinks otherwise then let them look at the promises made by Dodon in 2016, and see how serious he is in fulfilling his promises. 

• The Change of Government Brings a New Media Market Redistribution

I repeat: this is an electoral year, they will make some things, but not what the people expect. They will try to offer something so people will go to vote. Nothing more.