Moldova forms new government

Moldova's new government led by Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet was sworn into office late on Thursday before President Nicolae Timofti, according to news reaching here from Moldova's capital city of Chisinau.

"You have to show performances in the areas you are to manage. You have, in the person of president, a supporter of all efforts in order to achieve goals of national interest," the president said at the swearing-in ceremony.

Timofti urged the new cabinet of ministers to continue reforms initiated in all sectors.

In his turn, the new prime minister assured that his cabinet will work to further implement the Moldova-European UnionAssociation Agreement.

"We have the duty to take care of Moldovans, to create conditions to increase salaries," he said, stressing that the government must strive to solve problems for those most affected by price increases and other adverse effects of the crisis period.

On Thursday afternoon, Strelet's coalition government was voted in by all the 52 members of the three-party, pro-European Union coalition in the 101-seat parliament, while deputies of the Socialists and Communists voted against the cabinet composed of the Liberal Democrats, the Democrats and the Liberals.

The cabinet is composed of four deputy prime ministers and 14 ministers, with the foreign minister and economics minister also holding the posts of deputy prime minister.

There are a number of six new faces in the cabinet.

According to the government's action program presented by Strelet before the voting at a parliament plenary meeting, the main goal of the new cabinet is to enhance the well-being, safety and quality of life of citizens, by developing economy and facilitating creation of well-paid jobs, fighting corruption and ensuring the supremacy of law.

"The safest way to achieve these goals is the European integration," Strelet said, adding that the government is to create all premises needed to make sure that Moldova is eligible for obtaining the status of candidate for European Union accession.

Strelet, 45, was nominated officially as prime minister-designate by President Nicolae Timofti on Monday, after the Liberal Democrats' previous nominee, acting Education Minister Maia Sandu, failed to get support of the other coalition parties.

On July 23, the three "pro-European" parties signed the agreement on the formation of the ruling alliance, weeks after Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici decided to step down on June 12, over allegations of falsification of his high school diploma.

Strelet started his political activity in 1994. He was appointed deputy leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in 2007 and has been a member of the Parliament of Moldova since 2009. In 2011, he began to lead the Liberal Democrats' faction of the parliament.