Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CHISINAU42
2009-01-22 10:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Chisinau
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR CHAUDHRY HEARS ALL THE RIGHT

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR MD 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2387
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHCH #0042/01 0221027
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 221027Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7533
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHISINAU 000042 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE

E.O. 12958: Declassify 01/21/1919
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR MD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CHAUDHRY HEARS ALL THE RIGHT
THINGS FROM LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER FILAT

REFS: A. 08 Chisinau 1276 B. 08 Chisinau 1258

C. 08 Chisinau 1168 D. 08 Chisinau 580

E. 07 Chisinau 0830

Classified by Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry under
1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHISINAU 000042

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE

E.O. 12958: Declassify 01/21/1919
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR MD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CHAUDHRY HEARS ALL THE RIGHT
THINGS FROM LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER FILAT

REFS: A. 08 Chisinau 1276 B. 08 Chisinau 1258

C. 08 Chisinau 1168 D. 08 Chisinau 580

E. 07 Chisinau 0830

Classified by Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry under
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a January 15 meeting with
Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) leader Vlad Filat,
Ambassador Chaudhry questioned Filat on pre- and
post-election conditions, and received positive
responses on freedoms and democratization in
Moldova. Filat described his plans for an
energetic, country-wide campaign, and his hopes
for a "non-aggression pact" among the larger
opposition parties. End summary.

The Active Democratic-Protest Party
--------------


2. (C) Filat described an impressive number of
PLDM public actions, designed to engender citizen
participation under the motto "If rights are not
respected, they must be acquired." The actions
included a petition campaign to restore the
election of the president by popular vote, and
demonstrations to support media freedom and better
prices for farmers' produce. Filat noted that
these actions were meant to benefit all parties in
the fight against the "fear of the Communists."
(Note: See ref A for an account of a December 2008
PLDM demonstration, and ref D for a report on
Filat's accusations of state intimidations of
party members. End note.)

Taking Responsibility for Moldovan Reform
--------------


3. (C) On Transnistria and EU integration, Filat
made the same argument that Ambassador Chaudhry
had made in other meetings and fora: if Moldova
did what it should do to promote the market,
media, and political freedoms, EU membership would
come without prodding from Brussels. And, Filat
continued, under the same circumstances, residents
of Transnistria would see the real benefit of
rejoining the right bank. Filat pointed out that,
at PLDM branches in the Transnistrian cities of
Tiraspol and Bender, he always heard the same
message: there is no point in unifying now, if it
means only exchanging Smirnov for Voronin, and the
corrupt system on the left bank for something
similar from the right bank.


Pro-NATO, Despite the Polls, and Retail Politics
-------------- ---


4. (C) Defending his party's support for Moldovan
NATO membership in Moldova despite low poll
figures favoring the move, Filat said that the
people were being manipulated by the dominant
Russian-language media, and did not know why they
opposed NATO. To overcome this problem and GOM
restrictions on media freedom, he promised that
party activists, having benefitted from NDI and
IRI training, would wage an energetic campaign,
"with surprises," knock on every door, and shake
every hand during the 60-day election campaign.
(Note: Many of our contacts and many media
outlets have predicted an April 5 date for
elections. End note.) Filat also stated that his
party workers would urge those who declare their
opposition to the PLDM to vote for the non-
Communist parties that had a chance of reaching
the six percent vote threshold needed for
representation in Parliament.


5. (C) Filat said that 80 percent of Moldovans saw
their future as part of the EU. Asked why the
vote base of the Party of Communists (PCRM)
remained so strong, Filat replied that the PCRM
changed its message from pro-Russia to pro-EU,
though without making any of the necessary
reforms. Referring to the President in a Russian
accent, Filat also noted that "Vladimir
Nikolayevich Voronin" dominated the state-
subservient media with his message that all was
well.

Election Outcome Depends on Crisis and Returning

CHISINAU 00000042 002 OF 002


Emigres
-------------- --------------
--------------


6. (C) Asked for his election predictions, Filat
said that everything depended on two hard-to-
predict factors: the impact of the global
financial crisis, and the number of citizens
working abroad who returned home to vote. He
declined to predict which parties would make the
six percent threshold, but expressed hope that the
PLDM could sign a "non-aggression pact" with two
other parties that shared a common program on the
EU, political freedoms, and a market economy.
Those parties, he said, were Our Moldova Alliance
(AMN),led by Searafim Urechean (ref B),and the
Liberal Party (PL),led by Mihai Ghimpu (ref E)
and Dorin Chirtoaca (ref C). Filat also declined
to speculate on possible PCRM candidates for
president.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Filat responded positively to the
Ambassador's urgings that, if he should become
part of a government-forming coalition, he would
move swiftly to form a government and implement
already-legislated reforms. Whatever may be the
sincerity of his views, Filat is the most
energetic and organized practitioner of modern
democratic campaign methods. To convince voters
and help create a non-PCRM government, he will
need to overcome his image as a corrupt wheeler-
dealer, and accusations that he has purchased
officials and members from other parties.

CHAUDHRY