Program (adopted at the IV Congress of the Agrarian Democratic Party of Moldova in June 1997)

I. Transitory provisions:

Agrarian Democratic Party of Moldova (ADPM) is a socio-political, democratically oriented organization; it pursues the reorganization of the country in line with the principles of democratic pluralism, market economy, rule of law and civil society.

ADPM is a centrist political party that militates for:

• Reform of the society and social progress, provided any revolutionary perturbation or socio-economic shocks are avoided;
• Liberalization of economy and social life, provided disorder and anarchy are not allowed;
• Society spiritual revival, without denying the best of the past;
• Principality in ideology matters and consistency in politics, by avoiding intolerance towards other ways of thinking and aggressiveness towards opponents.

ADPM is a party of the peasants, farmers, and intelligentsia from villages and cities.

At the core of its ideology lies spiritual values and conceptual orientations of the people working in the countryside: realism and good will in their practical activity; responsibility and rational sobriety in changing their way of life; care for cultural traditions of the people; appreciation of working people; and inclination to live in line with law and social equity.

ADPM is a party defending first of all the interests of people involved in agricultural sector. At the same time, the principles and values reflected in its political program are deeply rooted in the mind of Moldovan citizens, and therefore belong to all the people. That is why, ADPM sees its political program as the basis for spiritual unification of all the citizens, regardless of nationality, religion, profession or residence.

II. Perspectives for Moldova's development as a sovereign and independent state:

In the recent years Moldova has consolidated its authority in the world. Moldova has become a full right member of UN, Council of Europe, CIS as well as other international organizations. Those factors had a great impact on the consolidation of the country sovereignty. Currently, the settlement of energy, financial, and food security issues, as well as consolidation of spiritual independence and promotion of original culture of the multinational people of Moldova have gained a major importance in ensuring the country's independence and sovereignty.

The socio-economic and political reformation processes, undertaken in the recent years have been seen as contradictory and having equivocal results. The consequences of radical changes in the social life have become a burden for the great majority of the population. The modernization of the society proved to be a more complicated and difficult endeavor than it was originally expected.

Nowadays it is clear that in pursuing reforms, all of us became the victims of the events triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union and extremist policies promoted by nationalist and radical forces at the beginning of the country independence. There are a series of flaws in the reform strategy and some of its consequences still persist:

1. Simplified view on the role of state in a contemporary democratic society. As a result, the chaotic character of the economic liberalization conducted in Moldova, which in its turn led to the small number of viable companies, destabilization of economic life, diminishing production, worsening living standards.

2. Adoption of social-economic concepts and constitutional-judiciary organization of the Western countries, by disregarding the country's own experience. As a result - poor efficiency of the newly introduced forms, predisposition to legal formality, which are clearly seen nowadays.

3. Lack of a clear vision on "What society are we edifying?" This led to peoples' disorientation, begot legal nihilism, and diminished moral barriers preventing the ever-increasing crime, especially corruption.

4. Flaws in the socio-economic transformations, and as a result worsening living standards of the population, sudden deepening division of the population according to their income.

5. Lack of principality and consistency in the national-cultural policy, persistence of conditions allowing to distinguish people according to ethnic criteria, which caused a series of conflicts, increased tension in society, and weakened the spiritual potential of Moldovan people.

By uniting patriotic forces of the society, the Agrarian Democratic Party, managed to attenuate the negative consequences of unwise reformation strategy, adopt the Constitution of the Republic, consolidate Moldova's positions worldwide, solve Gagauz problem, establish a legal framework allowing to normalize relations with Transdnistria, undertake productive steps towards establishing a legal framework for civilized market economy development, all of which contributed to the social stability.

The perspectives for Moldova's development as an independent state are determined today by the success of the following directions:

1. Rising the state role in supporting the rule of law and ensuring an order in the society, in establishing conditions for the market economy, social entrepreneurship, in consolidating and developing principles of democratic development, as provided in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova.

2. Taking into account the interests of population when planning and implementing social transformations, firstly in the economic reforms.

3. Defining the most appropriate model of democratic state for our country based on the historic experience of the Moldovan people and achievements of Western civilization.

4. Priority should be given to agriculture and industry of the republic. The latter's efficiency should be considered a cornerstone in overcoming the economic crisis.

5. Consolidating rule of law, fighting corruption should be viewed as a national strategic goal.

6. Boosting the "human resources" development. Society efforts should be directed towards multi-lateral personality development, raising professional level, legal and political awareness, and towards preventing "exodus" of talented people from the country.

7. Establishing conditions for turning ethnic and cultural factor into a factor consolidating citizens of the Republic of Moldova.

III. Social, spiritual, and material welfare of the Moldovan people:

Our goal is the social and spiritual prosperity, to satisfy welfare needs, to encourage each citizen to pursue his civic, cultural and professional goals.

Our main values are human dignity, political, economic and social democracy and civil society. To achieve the said goals and adopt the said values it is necessary to accomplish the following tasks:

1. Consolidating the statehood and territorial integrity of Moldova:

To achieve this, the following are necessary:

• Boost foreign political activity in view of further consolidating the country's positions worldwide, by observing international law norms and Moldova's neutrality, which is provided in the Constitution; given the historic traditions of Moldova and its political, economic and cultural contacts with other countries, increase their role in conflict resolution in the Black Sea region;
• Improve the cooperation between the three branches: legislative, executive and judiciary;
• Contribute to the consolidation of spiritual independence of the Moldovan people; develop its socio-cultural originality in the dialogue with other nations and cultures;
• Solve Transdnistrian problem within the framework of the Memorandum signed by the parties, based on democratic, and mutually agreeable principles;
• Rise the state role in determining and enforcing administrative, legal and judicial measures oriented towards fostering a civilized market economy in Moldova;
• Reform local government in view of establishing a democratic socially-oriented state; ensure high quality services.

2. Ensuring rule of law, fighting corruption:

• Develop a national program on fighting crime and implement it;
• Inventory the property in the country;
• Establish an efficient control over the financial and economic processes of the country;
• Oversee and make public the income of high rank officials and their families;
• Toughen sanctions for violating financial discipline, for offences related to job responsibilities;
• Improve the judiciary system, law enforcement, the activity of organizations and institutions of national security; increase the liability of decision making bodies for the results of their activity;
• Foster cooperation of Moldovan legal bodies with relevant international organizations;
• Devise measures (including the legal ones) aimed to involve the population in overseeing the observance of law enforcement at enterprises, organizations, institutions and at the citizens' residence;
• Conduct education campaigns to encourage people to oppose the violation of law.

3. Consolidating civic consensus in the country:

• Abandon simplistic approach towards the history of Moldova, educate community spirit and that of responsibility for one's own future;
• Establish a favorable environment for the harmonization of economic interests of different groups of population;
• Ensure conditions for the free development of ethnic minorities' culture, and foster interaction between those cultures;
• Educate and train young generation on interethnic cultural principles;
• Promote equilibrated linguistic policy, improving the study of Moldovan language, continuing the study of Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Gagauz and other languages; eliminate conditions allowing for violation of human rights based on linguistic principle;
• Establish conditions favoring political consensus in the society, lessen political confrontations between political parties, by reaching public consensus on major issues society is facing, consolidate center positions;
• Conduct education and cultural campaigns to educate a social partnership attitude.

4. Accelerating the transition to a democratic state and establishing a civil society:

• Perfect economic, financial, administration, leadership, social and cultural organization in line with Constitution provisions;
• Enforce the principles of democracy, rule of law, human rights in the society;
• Consolidate legislative system of Moldova based on norms shared by the Council of Europe member states;
• Establish accountability and public control over public officers at all the levels, including Ministry of Internal Affairs;
• Contribute towards the set up and development of public organizations active in defending human rights and freedoms;
• Consolidate democratic principles via decentralization of state power and that of governing system;
• Contribute to the observance of human rights and freedoms proclaimed in the Constitution, freedom of speech and belief;
• Improve electoral system so as to ensure a better representation of citizens in developing state policy and encourage their participation in its implementation;
• Education and cultural campaigns aimed to raise cultural, political and judicial awareness of the citizens.

5. Adjusting the general strategy of economic reform:

• Gradual social orientation of economic reforms;
• Intensify state control and regulation in organizing economic and financial activity;
• Recover economic integrity of the Republic;
• Turn the system of financial and economic institutions of the country into a single, functional and highly efficient complex;
• Keep macro-economic stability so as to boost investments and attract foreign capital;
• Support domestic producers: protect their interests on domestic and foreign markets; establish viable mechanisms between producers, traders and mediators;
• Develop a program on fighting shadow economy;
• Support to agriculture and industry sectors;
• Modernize industry, construction and transportation sectors, increase their share in the Republic economy;
• Achieve a balance between the interests of the state and entrepreneurs.

6. Developing the agricultural and industry sectors of the Republic:

In the current circumstances the state support of agriculture and industry sectors is considered as the most important element of the strategy aimed to overcome the economic crisis in Moldova. It is necessary to:

• Develop free market, by establishing special financial aid funds to credit farmers;
• Develop mechanisms and ensure well-functioning of the land market, by observing the peasants' rights and interests, and efficient use of land of the Republic;
• Boost negotiations with international aid institutions in view of securing for Moldova long-term investment credits for the development of industry and agriculture sectors;
• Devise mechanisms to boost farming, raise its cost-efficiency, introduce new technologies; define the optimum proportion of farms;
• Provide global markets for domestic products, and raise their competitiveness;
• Focus on improving living standards in rural areas.

7. Increase citizens' social security:

• Define minimal living standard, and the degree of state responsibility in ensuring it;
• Take measures to prevent actions that might result in worsening living standards of the socially vulnerable population;
• Reform pension and social security system so as to ensure a better protection of pensioners, disabled, families with many children; contribute to the set up of non-governmental retirement funds;
• Provide a guaranteed minimum of Medicare and social allowances to social vulnerable population; accelerate the reform of insurance Medicare; establish a favorable economic, legal and organizational environment for raising the quality of medical services provided to population;
• Adjust environment protection to international standards;
• Develop and implement a plan on the job market, including measures for creating workplaces on state budget account; boost industry companies opening branches in the rural area; improve the human resource training in line with the latest economic changes;
• Improve women working conditions, especially in rural areas, mother and child care, guarantee children's rights observance;
• Support youth, provide equal access to education and culture, regardless of social status or residence;
• Ensure the observance of citizens' rights to rest and sports; support professional sports and participation in Olympic games.

8. Spiritual revival of the society:

• Consolidate Moldovan people to make themselves respected as a political and spiritual community at the international level;
• Educate patriotic attitude among the citizens of the country, promote the principles of democracy, supremacy of law, equality of all under law;
• Assist people to open up their moral and cultural potential, to revive and consolidate cultural traditions;
• Improve the social and moral environment in the society, overcome distrust and estrangement in the society;
• Abandon aggressive actions as a means of settling economic, political, international, regional and other kind of problems;
• Depoliticize education, science, and art;
• Guarantee the observance of freedom of belief principle;
• Undertake measures to raise the prestige of socially useful work, to foster intolerant attitude towards those who breach the law, towards violation of human rights and freedoms.

9. Developing science, culture, education and art:

• Reform scientific institutions by revising their scope of work, so as to use more efficiently allocated funds and to relate their scope of work with the challenges the country is facing;
• Develop and implement mechanisms of co-funding (state and business) science and culture, of supporting scientists, people of art, etc;
• Adjust the number of scholarships to the real needs of the country;
• Adjust the volume of work of the university lecturers to that of the European countries;
• Improve the professional level and methodology of university lecturers;
• Modernize the education system of the republic by adjusting its curricula to the standards of democratic countries;
• Encourage young people to provide feedback on the education process, get involved in solving internal problems of the institutions.

IV. ADPM's attitude towards political parties and socio-political movements and organizations:

• Assist organizations and institutions in defending human rights, ensuring public order and rule of law, social security of the population, environmental protection, and charity;
• Actively cooperate with left and right wing political parties and socio-political movements, pursuing similar goals to ADPM;
• Keep liaison, hold consultations and negotiations with opposition parties on issues of mutual interest;
• Encourage partnership with public organizations pursuing similar goals to ADPM;
• Keep liaison with foreign political parties sharing the same ideology, as well as with international organizations and institutions active in the fields of interest for ADPM.

In the five years of activity, the Agrarian Democratic Party faced a lot of challenges, contradictions, but also had great achievements.

ADPM was and still is a party, whose main goal is to ensure the welfare of the Moldovan people and to foster social and spiritual progress, and whose values are freedom, democracy, solidarity and social equality.

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