Tofan concludes talks with parliamentary factions as opposition sets conditions
Prime Minister-designate Vasile Tofan held consultations with opposition parties on July 16 in preparation for the upcoming vote on the government's inauguration. Some parties have already announced that they will not support the new Cabinet, expressing concerns that Tofan may face the same fate as former Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu. Meanwhile, other parties stated that they would determine their vote after the government's program and list of ministers are presented.
One of the leaders of the Alternative Bloc, MP Ion Chicu, said he regrets the fact that, several days after Vasile Tofan was appointed prime minister, the candidate has not yet presented the list of ministers and the government program. According to Chicu, the Alternative Bloc will decide whether or not to support the inauguration of the Executive only after analyzing these documents.
"We will see what program he will come up with, because for now there is none. We will also see the cabinet of ministers, and depending on this we will decide whether or not to support the Government," Chicu said.
At the same time, the leader of the Alternative Bloc listed several conditions that the party considers priorities, including reducing the number of ministries and administrative expenses, supporting people with disabilities and farmers, and reducing the budget deficit.
*"We also told Mr. Tofan that the state must reduce unjustified expenses, for bureaucrats, for this bloated apparatus. He agrees that this problem exists, but says that he will not reduce the number of ministries and employees, because they are involved in the European integration process," *said Chicu.
Igor Dodon, the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), expressed his thoughts following consultations with Vasile Tofan. He acknowledged Tofan's solid managerial and economic background and noted that he has come up with some "interesting ideas." However, Dodon believes Tofan will encounter challenges similar to those faced by former Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu in dealing with the ruling party.
“I want to acknowledge that Mr. Tofan has a good managerial and economic background, at least based on what I have learned and our discussions so far. He has some interesting ideas. However, I explained to him that business activities, which aim to make a profit, and government activities, which require statesmanship, are completely different. I am convinced that in two or three months, Mr. Tofan will confront the harsh reality of PAS (Action and Solidarity Party), which will prevent him from making any progress. I believe he will realize this even faster than Alexandru Munteanu did, who resisted for eight months. He will have two options: either he becomes part of the ‘yellow swamp’ or he takes responsibility, establishes another right-wing, pro-European party, and PAS fades into history,” Dodon added.
Additionally, the socialist leader reiterated that PSRM will not support the inauguration of the new government.
Representatives of the Democracy at Home Party met with Vasile Tofan to discuss a set of measures they believe should be implemented by the future Executive within the first 100 days of its mandate.
The key requests presented include: reshuffling and professionalizing the government team; reforming public administration to reduce bureaucracy; and conducting an independent audit of public spending and external funds.
The party emphasized that it will monitor the activities of the future government and will support only those initiatives that are in the public interest.
Vasile Tofan was scheduled to hold consultations with the parliamentary faction of the Our Party, led by Renato Usatîi, on July 16. The meeting, scheduled for 12:30 PM, did not take place.
Tofan explained that he arrived "one minute late" due to prolonged discussions with representatives from the farmers' association.
"I apologise that this delay caused Mr Usatîi and his colleagues to leave. People expect constructive solutions to problems, not political theatrics," said Tofan, expressing hope that another opportunity for discussions could be arranged.
In response, Renato Usatîi, leader of the Our Party, stated that the party's delegation left the headquarters after Tofan did not arrive at the scheduled time.
"At 12:30, no one was there, so we left. The issue isn't just about timing. If we truly want to be constructive, it would have been helpful to have the government program and a list of candidates for ministerial positions. We came prepared with the Our Party faction's proposals, but did not see that kind of effort from their side," Usatîi said.
He also mentioned that the formation would not participate in what he termed a "political spectacle," especially since the parliamentary majority can appoint the government without the opposition's votes.
Conversely, the Communist Party declined to take part in the consultations. The party's president, Diana Caraman, stated that the PCRM does not wish to associate itself with "an anti-popular and corrupt government."
Vasile Tofan officially submitted his candidacy for the position of Prime Minister on July 11. The structure of the new government is expected to be announced by the end of this week, and Parliament will convene to vote on the confidence motion on Tuesday, July 21.
While the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu, assured that Vasile Tofan would be free to choose his own team, he openly praised the work of Ministers Dan Perciun, Dorin Junghietu, and Gheorghe Hajder from the previous Munteanu Government, suggesting they could continue to lead their respective ministries.
Vasile Tofan, 44, is an investor, entrepreneur, and prominent member of the business community in the Republic of Moldova. In addition to his investment activities, Tofan serves on the boards of several organizations, including the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova and the Startup Foundation.
According to his CV, Vasile Tofan graduated from Harvard Business School, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA). He also completed his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Public Management at Erasmus University Rotterdam, both with distinction. He was admitted to the master’s program a year ahead of schedule and has gained practical experience in public finance, public administration, and health.
Vasile Tofan is proficient in six languages: Romanian (his native language), and fluent in English, Dutch, French, Ukrainian, and Russian.
Tofan envisions the country's transformation starting with a clear goal: to become “the friendliest European country for entrepreneurs.” He emphasized the importance of building trust and social equity, asserting that reforms must begin by eliminating perceived unfair practices.
