If leader of PPEM Iurie Leanca is elected president of the country, he will not nominate Democrat Vlad Plahotniuc for the seat of PM, because the polls show that Vlad Plahotniuc has image problems.  The former PM made this statement at a press club under the Campaign "Transparent presidential elections"

"Impossible. One of the objectives of the future president is to use his diplomatic skills both inside and outside the country. Mr. Plahotniuc has image problems. Look at the polls. He should rebuild his credibility and then we will start discussions. The situation is very serious in the society. We need people who overcome the division in society", said the politician when he was asked if he will nominate Vlad Plahotniuc for the seat of PM.

The politician said that he had institutional communication with PD. In this context, Iurie Leanca spoke about the political partnership agreement for European integration which PPEM signed with the coalition majority in July, 2016. "Many people asked me why I signed the partnership agreement on European integration with the coalition majority. I always started from the idea that you can have a tough role of opposition, but with minimal effects on the situation in the country and I said that you can have a very critical attitude towards what is happening in the country, but you should try to change some realities. I do not think that a leadership comprising 55 or 78 MPs will come at power in the Republic of Moldova in 2 years and will start from the very beginning and will carry out all necessary reforms. This will not happen. I know that we will always have coalitions and I know that you must try using certain dependencies in relation with the West and use current influential powers. Our financial dependence on the West is enormous. Before signing this agreement, in July, I asked my friends in the West whether it is good to be in opposition or have a platform of influence. (...) When I had to talk about that agreement, I met Vlad Plahotniuc.   I meet Candu in the Parliament and I have known Lupu for 25 years", said Iurie Leanca.

PPEM leader denies telling Maia Sandu not to criticize Plahotniuc

Also, the candidate in presidential elections refuted that he would have suggested Maia Sandu not to criticize Plahotniuc. President of PAS made this statement a few weeks ago during the program "In  Profunzime" on Pro TV. "I'm sorry to do this in public, but I must categorically deny telling Maia Sandu things like that. Maia Sandu was a good colleague of mine; we discussed many topics in autumn 2014, including the situation in the banking system. I informed her about the situation in the banking system and I said why I disagreed with progress of regress. These were private discussions and in my opinion, they ought to remain private. Even in these discussions, I have not ever said that. We discussed about the role of PD and the role of certain people within PD", said president of PPEM.

"I helped Maia Sandu a lot in education reform. I brought a hundred school buses, 23 million euros from Bucharest. I had good relations with the then Prime Minister of Romania and we renovated kindergartens. I convinced billionaire Soros in his flat in New York and he gave us a million dollars for curriculum for multimedia classes”, said Iurie Leanca.

“Regretfully, Mr. Leanca thinks up. I did not have access to data about the banking system both in private or public discussions. When the first rumors appeared in the press about the bad situation of BEM, I recommended Mr. Leanca to hire an international consultant to help him. I realize that Mr. Leanca still does not understand the serious things that happened in the banking system. Indeed, several sectors received funding during the mandate of Mr. Leanca. Reforms were carried out just in one sector- education. It means that Mr. Leanca assumes the merits of these reforms and the Minister of Education is charged of the disaster in the banking system?", replied Maia Sandu.

He criticizes only Igor Dodon

Also, the politician claims that the only opponent whom he criticizes is Igor Dodon, leader of PSRM. "If he comes to power, God forbid, that means our whole paradigm is changing. I do not criticize Dodon personally, by his attempt to deceive a large part of society.  He forgets that there is Russia and Ukraine between Moldova and he is not the first to try it. I learned in Moscow. If he comes at power, nothing could be done", said the MP.

Iurie Leanca spoke about his relationship with Vlad Filat, former prime minister sentenced to nine years in prison for corruption. The politician said that he would like the case of former Liberal Democrat PM to be tried in public trials. "I talked many times with him. I quite appreciated Vlad Filat especially in the first years after 2009.  When I entered the fifth floor of Government, at his insistence, the relations began to cool after 1, 2, 3 months and then the evolution of relations was unfavorable. We had several discussions about the banking system because I heard, asked and checked some things ", said Iurie Leanca.