[Info-Prim Neo article from the series “2011: how it was and how it wasn’t”] {Chisinau with accomplishments, failures and prospects – local elections } In 2011, the residents of Chisinau municipality reelected their central administration. Voters’ political options were divided and as a result there was elected a Liberal mayor and a Municipal Council dominated by Communists, who hold 26 seats of the 51. For the time being, the two political forces do not manage to come to terms. [Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca] has told Info-Prim Neo that the local elections of this summer showed that the inhabitants of Chisinau municipality want the course towards the city’s development and modernization to be continued and confirmed the trust that they put in the Liberal team in 2007 (the Liberal Party has 17 seats on the Council, being the second party with the largest number of seats after the Communist Party – e.n.). “This shows they hope that over the next four years we will continue to implement successful projects in Chisinau municipality, modernize the capital city and create a better live for everyone,” said Dorin Chirtoaca. According to the mayor, many of the results achieved in 2011 – the purchase of 102 new trolleybuses, the renovation of the lake in “Valea Morilor” Park, the repair of streets – are due to the work of the Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC) of 2007-2011, which, by supporting the proposed reforms, created preconditions for development. The mayor voiced hope that these preconditions will help the Council to achieve even better results, despite the current misunderstandings. “I’m convinced that the situation will be unlocked and we will continue to approve projects that will stimulate the development of Chisinau municipality. There are several possibilities – to vote unanimously as in the last meeting, or to form a Democratic majority and I think we will have it. It is important that this majority is formed correctly, so that it has a solid basis over the next years,” said Dorin Chirtoaca. He did not rule out that some of the Communist councilors who will have a different viewpoint from that of the Communist faction or even the entire faction will adopt a constructive approach. [The leader of the Communist faction on the CMC Boris Golovin] said that in June 2011 the Chisinau residents chose what they wanted. They have 26 Communist councilors, 17 Liberal councilors, 7 Liberal-Democratic councilors and one Democratic councilor. “The inhabitants of Chisinau voted massively for the Communists because they were dissatisfied with the work done by the former Council,” he stated. Boris Golovin said the CMC has adopted practically no decision since March, but there are over 5,000 draft decisions waiting to be examined. According to the councilor, such a situation is due to the fact that the mayor and the Mayor’s Office break the law. “The situation in the CMC is not tense, but the mayor of Chisinau staged a ‘raider attack’ on three seats of the Communist faction,” he stated. Three Communist councilors renounced their seats as they chose to hold other posts, but cannot be yet substituted because the CMC did not declare the seats vacant (e.n.). According to the leader of the Communist faction, the mayor does not want the Communist councilors to hold a majority and thus tries by different methods to buy somebody from their faction. “He wants to manage Chisinau by himself, but there are two branches – the executive one and the legislative one. We are the legislative branch that is more important than the executive one,” said Boris Golovin. He also said that the court postpones withdrawing the three seats so that six months pass and early elections are called. [The leader of the Liberal faction Ion Gabura] stated for Info-Prim Neo that the work of the CMC with a Communist majority can have a negative impact on the city because the Communist councilors have the votes needed to block the situation through the agency of the commissions and by not supporting certain projects. As to the decisions that have not been yet approved, Ion Gabura said they refer mainly to daily problems. “We cannot approve the budget, but, according to the legislation, we can work under last year’s budget as well. We can make corrections in the middle of the year. But the Communist councilors should understand that even if they have by one vote more they cannot decide themselves,” said the councilor, adding that the Communist faction puts the personal interests above everything. Ion Gabura voiced hope that the situation in the CMC will be unblocked immediately after the head of state is elected on December 16. [The leader of the Liberal-Democratic faction Ghenadie Dumanski] said the local elections were won by a Liberal mayor on the one hand and by a Council with a Communist majority on the other hand. The two political forces do not often seat at the negotiating table. “We anticipated that the situation will be difficult. Unfortunately, the Communist councilors aim to take revenge and this is not normal. We do not want a repeat of the situation of 2008, when there was political-administrative disorder,” he stated. Ghenadie Dumanski said they should all concentrate on what unites them, not on what divides them. The political orientations divide them, but the priorities of the residents of Chisinau should unite them. According to him, all the municipal companies now work, but there are a series of important issues that must be discussed, including the 2012 budget and the amendment of the 2011 budget, the restructuring of the Electric Transport Company, the situation of the parking lots, etc. “There can be many scenarios for unblocking the situation, but many people wait for a decision at central level. If the President is elected, the situation at local level will be remedied,” said Ghenadie Dumanski. {In the June 5 local elections, the Communist Party won 46.11% of the vote in the municipality of Chisinau and 26 seats of councilor. On June 30, the votes were recounted at the request of the Liberal Party. But the results of the recount did not change the configuration of forces in the CMC. The PCRM has 26 seats, the PL – 17, the PLDM – 7, while the PDM – 1 seat. The deputy head of the Liberal Party Dorin Chirtoaca won the mayoral elections in Chisinau in the June 19 runoff. He polled 50.60% of the ballot. His Communist opponent Igor Dodon gained 49.40% of the vote}. [Elena Nistor, Info-Prim Neo]