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26

POLITICAL

JPRS-EER-91-053 25 April 1991

[Moldovan] The National Salvation Front is a party of social democratic orientation; its concern with ensuring social security qualify it to be includcd in the political arena. Within this framework, social protection repre-sents just one aspect of the social security that every strong social democratic party has to ensure and is mainly directed toward those social groups that arc not able to protect themselvcs on thcir own (the young, pensioners, and handicapped people). Social security in generał can be compared with the result of the operation of all State structurcs—created for the purpose—that permit the development of a large and strong middle class. Morę prccisely, social protection is meant for those belonging to this middle class. While we expect to be able to ensure social protection in the immediate futurę, social security will require a longer time and even a preliminary strategy. This strategy has to bear in mind equally the materiał possibilities of the given time and the mentality of the people.

As far as materiał possibilities are concemed, we arc now working out the legał framework that will form the basis for the operation of economic and social laws. For clarity, I will give an example: Linking salarics to the price index is a principle of social security. Compensa-tion, however, is an aspect of social protection. A study of the current situation illustrates that the budget cannot sustain sizable price inereases unless they are directly linked to what the economy produces; on the other hand, new ways and means can be sought to make pcople^łs lives easier. Thus, if materiał inereases cannot be granted, then costs can be reduced for the members of society. We have inherited, for instance, important housing stocks to which we have all contributed by making great sacrifices. We have thought about distrib-uting this housing to our citizens under advantageous conditions, proceedinggradually from distributing it free of charge, up to granting special facilities of a financial naturę. This way rents or installments will disappear or will be reduced substantially, something that actually represents social help as well.

The Executive Burcau of the Fronfs Steering Collegium has asked the govemment to assume the responsibility of presenting a draft law to Parliament as soon as possible. Certain criteria goveming the distribution of housing have already been worked out and the idea is being promoted of distributing the state’s central housing stocks and apartments of the third and fourth category— in terms of comfort—free of charge to current tenants. The other apartments will be allocated free of charge or will be paid for in installments depending on the amount paid so far in rent by the tenant. A number of important facilities have been provided for young families, pensioners, and handicapped people. By the same token, the possibility was discussed that those who have already bought their apartments from the central State stocks receive compensation in accordance with the certificates of value [titluri de valoare] issued by the State, with which those in question may participate in the social Capital of various trading companies.

[Sega] Referring to social security, you were talking about a certain mentality of ours, of all of us, that has to be educated.

[MoIdovan] I have studied various ways in which social security is provided in the developed countrics of the world. To be morę elear, I will give an example: In Swcden any Citizen may go to a regional social assistance office, any time he wants, to claim State aid in cash without being asked for reasons or documents to justify his claim. The only document he has to present is his identity card.

At the same time, howcver, the govemment press organ publishes periodic lists of citizens who have requested such aid. The moment the name of someone who has decided to take this step appears in those lists again, he is seriously affectcd bccause he is fully compromised. This community reaction of rejecting people who acccpt money from the State that is not earned rcvcals a certain concept and mentality with deep roots: The State represents all citizens and such “begging” from the public coffers actually means profiting from the pocket of everybody. On the other hand, the idea of obtaining undeserved money is condemned.

Were this system of social security actually to be applied in Romania we would probably not have enough forests to supply the paper for all the lists we would have to print. And, in these lists, we would probably discover the names of mayors, directors, and so forth.

[Sega] Since we have rcached the sensitive subject of the fitness of those holding certain leading positions, let us talk a bit about corruption and the forms it has taken in Romania lately.

[Moldovan] The legał situation of a nation is also an element of social security. The morę the law prevails and is accepted and observed by the many, the healthier the given society is. Its citizens are secure and certain that they are protected by the law and that they do not have to face any type of aggression all by themsclves. Undoubtedly, there is corruption in Romania, especially bribery. It is the ruling party’s obligation to get seriously to grips with such tendencies; people will point to the National Salvation Front especially if a director or mayor has taken bribes. Hence the need for the Front to become a strong and well-organized party that is able to control antisocial phenomena. I personally belicve that an anticorruption brigade should be set up as soon as possible at the level of the Ministry of Interior. More-over, the notion of public order has to be reconsidered. Every Citizen is entitled to live in security. He should not be intimidated or, even worse, terrorized by a troubled social atmosphere, and by elements that are at variance with the norms of social coexistence. Ensuring a materiał and cultural !evel of comfort that is as close as possible to a deccnt lcvel of civilization is a duty that the National Salvation Front has constantly to bear in mind.