Only one candidate – the chairman of “Our Party”, Renato Usatii, took part in the first round of electoral debates on the public TV channel Moldova 1. The candidates were invited to participate in the debates in the order in which they were registered with the Central Electoral Commission.
The incumbent President Maia Sandu, who is registered second, refused to participate in the debates. Candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo, who is registered first, came to the debate but refused to participate because Maia Sandu did not show up.
“I canceled all meetings today and came here to show respect to citizens. Unfortunately, I did not see any representatives of the authorities here. I have no questions for Renato Usatii, I have no questions for the other candidates. I have questions for Maia Sandu. Since she did not come, I will also leave the studio,” Stoianoglo said.
Usatii said he was staying to “use this platform and talk about his electoral program.”
He again favored changing the form of government and turning Moldova into a “presidential republic”. Asked by the moderator of the debate how this could be achieved, he said that immediately after the elections he would organize a referendum, “as a result of which the people would vote for a presidential form of government” and “sweep away this power – both the parliament and the governments.”
“I will be president for all citizens. And for those who break the law, I will be the toughest dictator,” Usatii promised.