Last week the president voiced his annual address to citizens and authorities. It was shorter this year, but as before it embraced many issues. On the one hand, the president summed up the results of the past years. Back in December 2011, after the election, the new team had faced two tasks: to stabilise the situation, to maintain the rouble's exchange rate, to make economic rules equal for all, and address infrastructure issues in the spheres of education and healthcare.
Much has been done in this areas today. The president specially dwelt on investments in education and healthcare, with the aggregate sum amounting to about 1.76 million roubles. Contributions have been also made to the sectors of water and power supply, heat power engineering. Investments in the reconstruction of heat power systems, for example, have risen by six times. This means we have managed to enhance the most important vital systems.
But the «nucleus” of the 5th presidential address, in the opinion of the author, was not even the achievements, but the problems the country has been facing. The problems are different: budgetary, economic, political and institutional. And they have to be solved so that the country could move forward, regardless of the result of the upcoming presidential election.
The president, for example, is concerned that the Supreme Council approves the deficit budget, and the deficit is not covered even on social protection items. It happened in 2015 and has also occurred this year. At the same time, the profits of state-run enterprises are withdrawn, and private companies, though enjoying the state's broad support, stand aside.
Today we can see a flow of slogans and allegations, which, as it is later revealed, have very little behind. Some people left last year's electoral battles to plunge at once into the presidential campaign, which is yet to be officially launched. As a result, the society becomes a victim of an information war, which employs various methods: a half-truth, leaks, and rumours disguised as the ultimate truth.
The serious problem which arose during the presidency of Igor Smirnov and which was emphasised by Yevgeny Shevchuk in his address is a merger between business and the legislative body. This is promoted by the very election mechanism — the majority vote system suggesting that a candidate may win without gaining even a third of votes, calling himself a «people's deputy». From one parliamentary campaign to another goes a simple technology — product allowances, children's playgrounds, painted benches and promises in order to attract these very voters necessary to be elected to the Supreme Council. The nonlosing tactics for business.
And at the same time, our MP enjoys such an immunity that can hardly be found in any other contemporary state. He can combine business and lawmaking activities, as well as supervise tax and customs authorities. Nonsense.
In his address the president makes it fairly clear that a merger between business and power is rather a backward form of political organisation which leads to a conflict between state-public and business interests, economic and tax imbalances, inefficient decisions. Countries with high living standards have necessarily separated business from power and do not have such forms of government today, the president underscores. It is evident that sooner or later we will also have to do it. Otherwise, Pridnestrovie will remain a country of marginal capitalism.
Sergey Gorchakov
