Electoral contestants for Chisinau mayoralty

Serafim Urechean
Independent Candidate

Electoral slogans:
People - the only concern
A mayor for you

Biography

Serafim Urechean was born on 2 February 1950 in village Larga, district Briceni. In 1974 he graduated from the Polytechnic Institute in Chisinau, and in 1985 from the High School of Political Science in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He worked as engineer at the Constructions Enterprise Briceni (1976-1978); Head of Department for Industrial and Constructions Development, Second Secretary of the District Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova in Briceni (1978-1983); Chairman of the District Executive Committee in Anenii Noi (1985-1987). He was Chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of the Republic of Moldova (1987-1994), Member of Parliament (1990-1994). Since 9 August 1994 he has been General Mayor of the Chisinau Municipality. He is Chairman of the Federation of Local and Regional Authorities of the Republic of Moldova, and Chairman of the Federation of Check of Moldova. He is married and has two children.

Electoral programme (abridged)

Dear residents of Chisinau!

Four years ago you have entrusted me the mandate of General Mayor of Chisinau. Over this time I have always been next to you, I have used all my forces, knowledge and professional skills to make our town a dynamic one, to reach stability and civic harmony. We have succeeded in many ways, although there is still plenty to be done.

What has been done?

During my mandate, we have managed to overcome the crisis and stop the degradation, create real premises for the rebirth and progress of the capital. Making use of the intellectual, professional and administrative potential of Chisinau, we have contributed to the considerable improvement of the economic and political climate of our town and of the republic on the whole.

What we intend to do?

We intend to raise the living standard of the residents of Chisinau to European standards and ensure their wealth through diminishing poverty and unemployment!

To achieve this, at the end of 2003 we will launch the ten year project of strategic development of the town "Sociopolis", which will be founded on the principles and proposals of our voters and the experience of our European colleagues.

The project will be an innovation one and will be carried out at European level with the participation of the European Union, the US, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Romania. We are convinced that Chisinau should and must become the town of confluence of mutual concerns and fruitful co-operation between the West and the East.

The priority programmes included in the project will be "Buy Goods Made in Chisinau", "Your Flat", "Protected Old Age", "Education", "Health Protection", "Fighting Poverty", "Pure Water", "The Youth of Chisinau", "Chisinau - Centre of International Tourism", "Chisinau - Regional Commercial Centre", "Chisinau - Producer of Environmentally Pure Goods".

While setting the priority tasks for the town for the next four years we will be guided by the principle: "What is good for Chisinau is good for the entire Moldova!"

Our priorities

Economic development:

• Consolidate the macroeconomic stability, achieve economic growth through stipulating the investment climate, exports and small and medium sized businesses. We intend to cut unemployment, create new jobs, reduce gradually the land tax and local taxes and extend regional economic co-operation with the EU and the CIS;
• Annual increase in the quotas of financial returns to the municipal budget up to 15-20% through higher economic growth etc.

Developing the social sphere

The efficiency of town authorities one can judge by the quality and level of living standards. Therefore our social policy will aim at increasing income, solve housing problems, develop educational and cultural opportunities, and improve medical assistance. The town authorities will grant nominal aid to pensioners, invalids and families with small income etc.

Health assistance:

• Gradual introduction of mechanisms of compulsory medical insurance; the medical services will be partially paid by the employers, trade unions and the state;
• Ensuring the guaranteed minimum of free medical services for all categories of citizens etc.

Education:

• Raise the wages of teachers with low salaries, with funds from budgetary and extra-budgetary sources, and gradually raising wages of all teachers;
• Annual increase of budget expenses for the support of education etc.

Culture:

• Inauguration of the monument of Independence
• Concluding the re-construction of the historical and cultural centre Old Market etc.

Youth Policy

The youth is one of the strategic resources of the country and of the capital. We have established as a priority to develop the concept for a new youth policy, which is to tackle three major issues: create conditions for education and training, ensuring jobs for the youth and providing housing etc.

Communal sphere:

• Extending the programme of building and re-building the housing fund, including through the mortgage system, to ensure the residents (especially the young ones) with relatively cheap houses, to be paid in instalments, within up to 25 years. Starting the programme of building free municipal flats for socially vulnerable categories;
• Building 200 km of gas pipes, which will allow for the supply of gas to over 10,000 homes etc.

Urbanism:

Re-building the Square of National Assembly (building a commercial centre and an underground parking), the Cantemir, Mitropolit Dosoftei and Vlaicu Pircalab streets, concluding the reconstruction of the avenue Mircea cel Batrin, opening a pedestrian area on Stefan cel Mare avenue etc.