VZCZCXRO6254
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHCH #0398 0991211
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 081211Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6545
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CHISINAU 000398 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINR MD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS VLAD FILAT, HEAD OF NEW PARTY WITH HIGH 
HOPES 
 
REF:  07 Chisinau 1393 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michael D. Kirby, for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Leader of the six-month-old Liberal Democratic Party 
(PLDM) Vlad Filat briefed Ambassador Kirby on the PLDM's 
attractiveness to the politically uninvolved, his plans for 2009 
parliamentary elections, and his promotion of a referendum to change 
presidential and parliamentary elections.  Filat also supported a ban 
on dual citizenship for officials with access to state secrets.  Like 
other opposition political leaders, he encouraged the Ambassador to 
visit the districts before 2009 elections, as he did before 2007 
district council and mayoral elections.   End summary. 
 
Growth of Party Excites Jealousy, Attacks 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) In an April 4 meeting which he requested, Filat, who ran 
fourth in Chisinau's mayoral election in June 2007, and broke off 
from Dumitru Diacov's Democratic Party to found the PLDM in October 
(reftel), put himself on the electoral map by claiming an impressive 
25,000 signed-up members, 108 mayors, and 85 local councilors.  Filat 
claimed that his party, which has attracted those who were heretofore 
politically uninvolved, has also been attracting members (and 
officials, such as mayors and councilors) from other parties, 
including the Christian Democrats (PPCD) and Communists (PCRM). 
These losses have attracted negative comments from both, and a very 
public spat with PPCD head Iurie Rosca over a privatization case 
against Filat, which was settled ten years ago.  Filat appreciated 
the Ambassador's comments that cries of political treason were a part 
of democratic discourse, but that using the courts or security 
services against a political opponent was not. 
 
Filat in Campaign Mode 11 Months before Elections 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3. (C) Filat noted that he was making regular visits to the 
districts, and already had local organizations in all 32. 
Recognizing the problem of bringing neophytes into political 
leadership, he also said that such people had the advantage of a 
clean political slate, and stated that he was choosing people with 
professional experience and competence.  Filat agreed with the 
received view of Moldovan politicians that local elections were 
personal, while parliamentary elections were a vote on the party and 
on its image.  He was striving, therefore, to have a program and a 
shadow cabinet in place by the time the party's congress meets in 
June. 
 
Filat Pushes Referendum:  Popular Vote for President 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. (C) Stating that other opposition parties supported the notion in 
private but were afraid to go public, Filat said that he was publicly 
pushing for a referendum which would change the electoral system for 
President from a parliamentary to a popular vote, and create a joint 
system in which 51 MPs would be elected in local districts, and 50 on 
an at-large party list.  (All 101 MPs at present are elected 
at-large.) 
 
Filat OK's Ban on Officials with Dual Nationality 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5. (C) Filat, who described himself as a Moldovan national and an 
ethnic Romanian, distanced himself from pro-Romanian members of the 
liberal parties by declaring himself in favor of a ban on dual 
citizenship for all officials with access to state secrets-that is, 
anyone at the level of district chairman or above.  He agreed with 
the Ambassador's distinction that, while a citizen may have the right 
to two passports, access to state secrets is a privilege, subject to 
restrictions, and not a right.  Filat noted the complication in 
Moldova, and especially in left-bank Transnistria, that Moldovans 
with Russian and Ukrainian passports can keep the fact to themselves, 
while holders of Romanian passports are exposed by Romania's 
publication in its official gazette of the names of those to whom it 
grants passports. 
 
¶6. (C) Comment:  Throughout the discussion, Filat spoke 
professionally, calmly discussing his plans, noting his concerns, and 
even agreeing with Voronin on the issue of dual citizenship.  Filat's 
major concern was that the international community travel outside of 
Chisinau, monitor political conditions, and help ensure a level 
playing field.  He showed concern about European embassies' lack of 
field work, and asked the Ambassador to repeat his 2007 pre-election 
tour of the districts.  The Ambassador said he would continue to get 
out, and continue to raise, in a non-partisan manner, the differences 
between the behavior of developing and developed democracies.  End 
comment. 
 
Kirby