Inaugural Speech of His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Voronin, President of the Republic of Moldova

The Ceremony for the Inauguration of the President of the Republic of Moldova is held today, on Annunciation day, day in which as tradition says winter gives its rights to the spring. I consider this as a good sign. As springs stands not only for care for the future harvest, but also for awakening of the nature, all that is alive, and for change. Spring is the time when the hopes are reborn, hopes for better changes in the human destiny.

It is this spring optimism, these hopes that were materialized in the early parliamentary elections, elections which determined today's event. Our people didn't enjoyed the winter which lasted more than 10 years. That is why February 25 was a turning point and also an end to an entire history period which brought the country to a critical situation.

Undoubtedly the last 10 years were marked by distraction. Ten years of straying, of ethnic confrontation policy, and social humiliation. Ten years of planed destruction of the future. Just established the Moldovan state was split into two camps situated on different banks of the Dnister River. An internal degradation of the state and economy was to follow. Under the calls for democracy and freedom state servants' dictatorship, bureaucracy, betrayal of national interests in the name of short term benefits have become common practices. Disguised as appeals to modernize the economy, national patrimony of the country was stolen by being divided among different clans. The destruction was so powerful that at the moment the Republic of Moldova became a region of humanitarian catastrophe, of poverty and primitive state policy. Today our citizens are leaving the country to look for money so as to improve their and their children's wellbeing. We are now under the risk of loosing Republic of Moldova sovereignty, state and its people capacity to self-determination to freely and independently decide their own destiny, to set the priorities and fulfil their goals.

On February 25 politicians had the last chance to drastically change the course. It is really the last chance not only for the political party which won the elections but also for the entire political elite. People who cast their vote once again entrusted their best hopes state and procedure of democratic elections. New forlorn hopes would in the best case result in a total apathy and mistrust of the population in the state institution, and would encourage treatment of Moldova as any other territory lacking the capacity for independent development.

That is why we should realize that the state has an extremely difficult and at the same time important task. It is not only the "rebirth" of the country, issue very often raised by our politicians, who unfortunately lack the understanding of what specifically needs to be revived. We should pursue another goal, namely building a truly independent Moldovan state. Furthermore, we should change the status of poor, backward province submissive to external forces, to that of a modern state guided only by the interests of its citizens.

I truly believe that in the XXIst century the society may not be longer divided into progressive and reactionary classes or social groups, in good and bad nations, in neighbors and foreigners. The contemporary state has to equally meet the interests of all the members of the society. The contemporary state should an environment for the harmonious coexistence of the said interests, to find compromises to guarantee the equality of all the people. It is this state that will be trusted by the people, only those goals will coincide with the strategic interests of our neighbors and international community.

It is easy to declare such intentions. It is more difficult to achieve them, to make them a governing standard. And in this respect state officials will have to prove decision-making capacities, correctness, intelligence, and had work to overcome the socio-economic crisis, for the peasant and entrepreneur, doctor and teacher, pensioner and child feel the change for better. Only those changes felt by each citizen would ensure society's trust in the state bodies. Only under those circumstances will the society realize that the entire state machine represents their interests. Only when the state is able to protect the people from wrongdoings, corrupted officers, "authorities" getting rich on the misfortune and fear of the simple people, the state will gain a real authority. That is how I see our goals. Based on those principles I intend to serve in the position granted to me.

Slogans, even when highly progressive, do not account for anything. It is only realistic politics which is capable to give life to the notions of "democracy", "law" and "reform" which have been compromised by the last years' practices. Over the last ten years these words lacked meaning and lost their actual contents. I am confident that we will recover their genuine meaning. Now democracy means to the people injustice and cynicism and, in the best case, the freedom to choose between two "evils". The word "law" has become synonymous with "corruption", the word "reform" - with "stagnation", "poverty" and "trouble". As a result, the international community regards us as the most corrupt country in Europe and the poorest country in the CIS. And it is not the case to blame the democratic West or contemporary Russia. Our politicians have followed uncritically the advice and suggestions coming from outside the country, often misinterpreted them being driven by their self-defense instincts and by their desire to be acknowledged by the foreigners. It was just the political vocabulary that underwent true reform. As a result, the Moldovan political class is no longer recognized either in the East or in the West, or by the citizens of our country. In exchange for beautiful words about democracy and integration into Europe, humanitarian aid, not investments, has been coming to Moldova. This is all happening just because the efficient implementation of democracy and reforms requires solid ground - political will and the honest desire to make change happen for the benefit of the society. It is exactly this type of ground that we have been missing.

I believe that under the current circumstances the Moldovan state will literally have to take a serious leap forward. A leap in its economy, social sphere, culture. In the economic field we will have to review the principles of the economic recovery of the country. How do I see these principles? First, we must mobilize internal resources. The most efficient ways to do so is by attributing the state a new role in the economic transformations and by using the potential of local businessmen. The state may no longer be in the position of a night watch under whose eyes the public officers have practically enforced the feudal right over all forms of ownership - from the public to the private one.

The state is obliged to do its best to protect and support the efficient and competitive producers and give freedom to the economic activity. The state is obliged to deprive the public officers of the liberty to create restrictions, simplify and cast transparency over the tax system, modernize the banking activity. The state alone, through its legislative, executive and judiciary functions can create the conditions necessary for a favorable investment environment and attract producers of export goods to Moldova. We should make maximum use of the favorable geographical position of Moldova and turn it from a reservation of season labor work force into a country with developed economy, capable of offering services and transiting goods and capital. Our businessmen have formed during the unequal struggle with the state. Now the state must pay its debts to them. Ensured by its network of diplomatic missions and representatives, the state must assume the role of major agent in promoting the Moldovan production on foreign markets. Noteworthy is another fact - the state must defend on equal conditions the rights of all producers, irrespective of the form of ownership. We must take a position of principle with regard to protecting, on the one hand, the state enterprises running the risk of incompetent management and defalcations and, on the other hand, the private firms and companies facing the obligation to pay so called "taxes" to public clerks and mafia groups.

These are just a few principles that we must consider when implementing our active economic policy. The social and cultural fields equally require of us a consistent approach to the challenge of increasing the welfare and life standards and ensuring the fundamental human needs such as healthcare, education and social security. The fulfillment of this goal may not be delayed. We must be aware that the population, affected by malnutrition and diseases and by the impossibility to satisfy educational and cultural needs, will simply not be able to handle the economic leap. Our people are morally and physically worn out. That is why it is our duty to first of all stop this process of degradation and in an as short as possible term create such conditions of life that could be called normal and which our sorrowed people truly deserves.

However, positive change will not just happen. We, in fact, should start from zero and this means that we will have to work daily and hard; we will need every citizen to understand the importance of the issues that our country must solve. Therefore, it is necessary to join efforts to achieve common goals. For the sake of this noble call, I hereby would like to address all political formations and all citizens to work constructively and jointly. I also address those who in the past elections did not vote for the Party of Communists. I am confident that they did vote against poverty, corruption and wanted change, for one same purpose - Moldova's prosperity. We might have different opinions or experience, speak different languages, but we all have the same motherland - the Republic of Moldova - which awaits the day when we will quit the political barricades and care for its destiny.

Roughly, I see the current political situation as a unique chance to take the proposed path. This path is also a chance to put an end to the confrontation among the power branches, which has become traditional in Moldova. Over the last years this confrontation has literally deprived the country of its capacity for development. I believe that it is my duty to consolidate the vertical structure of the country leadership. The presidency, Parliament, Government and judicial power must once and for all abandon the narrow cadre of group, caste or party interests. The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova must become the only efficient and accepted foundation for the cooperation of powers in the state, not only in a declarative but also in a de facto manner.

The consolidation of the society and the branches of power will also contribute to the territorial reintegration of the country and the final resolution of the Transnistrian conflict. For this to be finally solved we need to consolidate the population, the business community, political parties and public authorities. This consolidation will not just happen, all the more so as the artificial divide of the country and the people for ten years brings somebody generous returns. To some it brings political returns, to others - purely economic ones. Therefore we need to take efficient efforts to firmly stop this dangerous "affair" and receive economic gains from mutually advantageous rapports. In this case again we need first of all political will to amend the principles of the negotiations process. We will then give up mutual accusations and insinuations and phrase advantageous, concrete proposals founded on rational compromise. In these conditions only will the truly beneficial role of other sides in the talks, primarily Russia, manifest.

In my future activity, I believe that the international aspect of the state policy is in the forefront. The head of state is accountable for the image of the country in the world, the promotion of its interests on the international arena and of its active role in the world community. Nevertheless, when the steps aimed at building a positive image abroad are not driven by its national interests, such foreign policy may not be considered a correct one. In this case the vector of the state's foreign policy lacks clear and strictly delimitated contours and the foreign policy itself proves to be a shy, humble and mediocre one.

We unequivocally assert that the sovereign Moldova will engage in all international treaties and will respect all obligations in relation to other states. However, I will assert pragmatic principles in our foreign policy. I rely on the understanding of European international bodies. The integration into Europe remains among the most important prospects for our country. This orientation shall become a priority in our relations with the CIS member states, particularly in our relations with our eastern strategic partner - the Russian Federation. We must develop more actively and more productively the traditional relations with our neighbor countries - Romania and Ukraine. We appreciate the value of aid granted to Moldova during this difficult time by the United States of America, the states of Europe - Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands and other countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen! Dear citizens!

As I am speaking in front of you now, I remember the words of blessing that I received from the common people during the pre-electoral meetings. They did not have too many demands and did not ask for promises. They used to tell me one single thing - "we trust you"! And this is my most important command. Now I have to do the most important thing - be up to the hopes of my voters. I know that it is not going to be easy. I understand that I will not be able to avoid all mistakes. The only thing I can promise is that I will work hard, honestly and openly. I hereby call upon you to share these principles.

The great Moldovan chronicle writer Grigore Ureche called Moldova a long time ago a country situated "on the way of all evil." We now have to serve a common goal to act in a manner that the words of the chronicle writer finally loose their actuality so that we can finally call Moldova a country of success, peace and good will.

Let us then join our efforts for the sake of a great and noble goal - of edifying our sovereign and independent state, the Republic of Moldova.