Munteanu Government inaugurated: “I am a fighter — I will work for Moldova’s prosperity and European path”
On Friday, October 31, Prime Minister-designate Alexandru Munteanu will present the Government's Activity Program and the future Cabinet of Ministers in Parliament, seeking the support of deputies.
18.43 Munteanu Government was invested with 55 votes
The Republic of Moldova has a new Government. The Cabinet led by Alexandru Munteanu was sworn in on Friday, October 31, one month and three days after the parliamentary elections, which established a new composition of the Parliament, but with the same parliamentary majority—the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS).
The Munteanu Government was sworn in with the vote of 55 deputies. Deputies from the factions of the Communists, Socialists, the "Alternative" Bloc, the Our Party and the "Democracy at Home" Party refused to support the Munteanu Cabinet.
Some representatives of the opposition, including the leader of the Socialists, Igor Dodon, noted the "professionalism" of the candidate for the position of Prime Minister, Alexandru Munteanu, but expressed their disagreement with the policies promoted by PAS.
The new Government will focus on economic growth and the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, with "15 sectoral priorities", announced, from the Parliament rostrum, before the inauguration vote, the designated Prime Minister, Alexandru Munteanu.
Presenting his "professional team", Alexandru Munteanu promised, among other things, the completion of the negotiations for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU by 2028 and the implementation of the community acquis in all areas, increasing the minimum wage to 10,000 lei, stimulating investments of up to four billion euros in the economy, supporting 25,000 enterprises, investing six billion lei in education, as well as planting 60,000 hectares of forests.
The new Government also promises nine billion lei for the "European Village" and "European Court" programs, including the construction of 3,000 km of roads and bridges over the Prut, green technologies, the expansion of irrigation on 50,000 ha, regional processing centers and expanded access to the promotion of Moldovan products on European markets.
Answering the deputies' questions for about six hours, Alexandru Munteanu assured that he would submit his resignation if he failed to prepare the Republic of Moldova for EU accession by 2028, adding, however, that "if we do not join, it will be bad for everyone".
Representatives of the parliamentary opposition criticized the actions of the party reconfirmed in power after the last elections, including for “aligning itself with Western sanctions against the East,” and called on Alexandru Munteanu to “solve problems of farmers” and “liberate justice.”
“Bring justice back to legality. Reform does not mean capturing the system, but liberating it,” demanded Alexandr Stoianoglo, deputy of the “Alternative” Bloc.
“The government program provides for billions in investments in communities, modernization of roads, interconnections with the EU, and massive support for small and medium-sized enterprises,” said Doina Gherman, president of the PAS parliamentary faction.
10:01 Only two MPs are absent from the Parliament session
The Parliament session started with 99 MPs present.
The only absentees today are Nicolae Botgros from the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) and Constantin Starîș from the Communist faction.
Following the presentation of the Government Program at the Parliament podium, there will be a question-and-answer session in which MPs can question the candidates for the positions of Prime Minister and ministers. After this, MPs and parliamentary factions will have the opportunity to deliver speeches.
Before arriving at the Parliament, Prime Minister-designate Alexandru Munteanu posted on Facebook that he was "going to the Parliament to present the government program and seek a vote of support" from the newly elected MPs.
Increasing the minimum wage to 10 thousand lei, capitalizing on the 1.9 billion euro Economic Growth Plan and completing the European Union accession negotiations by 2028 are some of the major commitments included in the program proposed by the designated Prime Minister, Alexandru Munteanu.
The program largely continues the objectives that the new Government set in 2023 and provides precise deadlines for completing the justice reform, as well as development and modernization measures in all areas.
The new Cabinet of Ministers includes nine members from the former Government: Vladimir Bolea at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Cristina Gherasimov – Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Mihai Popșoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dan Perciun – Minister of Education and Research, Ludmila Catlabuga - Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Daniela Misail-Nichitin - Minister of Internal Affairs, Dorin Junghietu - Minister of Energy and Anatolie Nosatîi - Minister of Defense.
The new team proposed by Munteanu also includes Eugen Osmochescu – nominated for the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, Valeriu Chiveri - Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Vladislav Cojuhari – Minister of Justice, Andrian Gavriliță – Minister of Finance, Natalia Plugaru – Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Emil Ceban – Minister of Health, Gheorghe Hajder – Minister of Environment and Cristian Jardan – Minister of Culture.
We recall that, last week after consultations with the parliamentary factions, President Maia Sandu nominated Alexandru Munteanu for the position of Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, at the proposal of the Political Council of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS).
Before the vote in Parliament, Prime Minister-designate Alexandru Munteanu held consultations with the parliamentary factions on Wednesday, October 29.
Two of the factions – "Democracy at Home" and "Our Party" – requested a one-week postponement of the inauguration vote, arguing that new proposals should be included in the government program. Also, three factions announced that they would not support the Munteanu Government.
