Prime minister-designate in parliament has plan for Moldova, determined to fight for stronger economy

Prime Minister-designate Vasile Tofan today presented in parliament the government’s activity programme and the composition of the new cabinet. Addressing the MPs, the official said that he had a clear plan for the country’s development and that the government team was determined to fight for a stronger economy, for a more efficient state and for a better life for people.

The activity programme of the new government, entitled, European Economy, Efficient State, has 147 pages. The most important priorities included in it were presented by Vasile Tofan in a speech of about an hour delivered before the MPs.

“The governing programme we have prepared is not a document meant to sit in a drawer or an academic paper full of nice ideas; it starts from a simple question: can we build Moldova as a country where young people want to live, raise their children and invest, or will we continue to settle for losing people and opportunities? The answer depends on us,” said Vasile Tofan.

The PM-designate stressed that the governing programme had been drawn up on the basis of a thorough analysis, which highlighted the main existing problems.

“The problems are serious and decisions can no longer be postponed. The clock for action is not counted in years, but in days and hours. Every day must become a deadline for finding and implementing solutions. Any delay has a real cost: every day, another young person may decide to build his or her life in another country, and another investor may choose a different market. Time lost costs us our future. The problems are many and difficult. They are even overwhelming. But they are not insurmountable. I have a plan for this country and I am determined to fight for a stronger economy, for a more efficient state and for a better life for people,” the official said.

Vasile Tofan told the plenum of the parliament that he was proposing the Activity Programme not as a perfect solution, but as an implementable one.

“I want us together to find the balance between the necessary changes and the stability of the foundation. To carry out a capital renovation, but without shaking the walls. We are not the first country to go through such challenges,” he said.

Tofan added that Moldova had everything it needs for growth – hardworking people, an open European market, digital potential, the beginnings of a revitalization in 2026 – and that “now we must align people, money and institutions in the same direction – towards growth, with greater speed and discipline,” in his view.

Vasile Tofan emphasized that the work of the new government would focus on several strategic directions, including economic development and attracting investment, accelerating the process of European integration, and ensuring better living conditions for people through targeted interventions in key areas.

The prime minister-designate noted that the role of the government was to ensure stable rules, protected property, infrastructure, fair competition and access to markets, without unnecessarily consuming people’s time, capital and energy.

“Our ambition is for Moldova to become the most entrepreneur-friendly European country,” said the Prime Minister-designate.

At the same time, the prime minister-designate stressed that he would ask ministers to spend less time explaining processes and more time unblocking obstacles, and that institutions would have to cooperate.

“I will not pretend that we will not make mistakes. There will also be decisions that will need to be corrected. But we will not hide our mistakes, we will not defend them out of pride and we will not replace the lack of results with more communication. I will ask ministers to spend less time explaining processes and more time resolving bottlenecks. And institutions will have to cooperate. Citizens must not pay the price for rivalries between ministries, agencies or their leaders. Consultation is necessary. But it will not be used as an excuse for delay. We will listen. We will calculate. We will decide. And we will implement,” the official said.

The prime minister-designate also presented the government team to the MPs.

Thus, the new government will have five Deputy Prime Ministers. The posts will continue to be held by Eugeniu Osmochescu, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization; Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development; Mihai Popsoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Cristina Gherasimov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration; and Valeriu Chiveri, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration.

At the same time, Dan Perciun will retain his position as Minister of Education and Research, Daniella Misail-Nichitin will continue as Interior Minister and Vladislav Cojuhari will remain Minister of Justice. Meanwhile, Radu Musteata is proposed for the position of Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry. Until now, Musteata has served as Director of the National Food Safety Agency.

MP Victoria Belous will take over the leadership of the Ministry of Finance, a position she has held previously. Alexandru Gasnas will be the new Minister of Health. Natalia Plugaru will continue to serve as Minister of Labor and Social Protection, and Gheorghe Hajder will remain Minister of Environment.

Dan Suruceanu is proposed to head the Ministry of Culture, Anatolie Nosatii will remain Minister of Defense, and the Energy portfolio will continue to be managed by Dorin Junghietu. The position of Secretary General of the Government will continue to be held by Alexei Buzu.

“Dear MPs, I am not asking you for a blank check. I am asking for your vote for a program with a clear direction, measurable indicators and assumed deadlines. I will be open to good proposals, regardless of the parliamentary group from which they come. A good solution for the country does not become less good because it was formulated by the opposition. But I invite you to a more responsible debate than simply listing problems. I promise that any such proposal – well calculated, coherent and implementable – will be examined by the Government with all seriousness, regardless of who puts it forward. Criticism is necessary. But the most useful criticism also comes with an alternative. Moldova faces serious problems. I do not minimize them. However, we also have real resources – access to the European market, unprecedented financial support, capable entrepreneurs and professionals, a strong diaspora, experience in digitalization and a society that has defended its European course under very difficult conditions. My optimism is not based on the idea that it will be easy. It is based on the fact that we have a direction, tools and people capable of doing this work. Success will not be measured by the number of meetings, laws or press releases. It will be measured by investments made, businesses that grow, higher exports, completed European projects, better public services and by the number of people who choose to build their future here,” concluded Vasile Tofan.

After the presentation of the government’s activity programme and the government team, a question-and-answer session followed in the parliament’s plenum.