Moldova Faces Turmoil as Court Outlaws New Govt

Socialist and ACUM deputies voting in the new government led by Maia Sandu, which the constitutional court has now declared illegal, June 8, 2019. Photo: EPA/Stinger

Moldova faces a fresh political crisis after the Constitutional Court declared the new government, led by the pro-European leader Maia Sandu and sworn in on Saturday, illegal.

The Court, which is widely seen as heavily influenced by the Democratic Party, also ordered the dissolution of parliament, which means new legislative elections must be held.

The court intervened after the pro-European ACUM bloc, led by Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase, reached an agreement with the opposition pro-Russian Socialists on Saturday and voted into office a new Socialist Speaker, Zinaida Greceanii.

In return, the Socialist Party of Moldova, PSRM, offered to back a new government led by Sandu as Prime Minister. Her new cabinet was sworn in by parliament and approved by the pro-Russian President, Igor Dodon.

“Today we won a victory over fear, mafia and injustice. Today begins the process of cleaning up in Moldova, building a better future for the citizens of this country,” Sandu said.

Hours later, however, the leader of the former ruling Democratic Party, Vlad Plahotniuc, called the decision illegal – a verdict promptly backed by the Constitutional Court .

On Sunday, the Court supported a request filed by PD deputy Sergiu Sirbu to suspend President Dodon and ex-Prime Minister Pavel Filip was put in charge as acting president.

“Dodon no longer has the legitimacy to hold this position. His resignation is absolutely necessary and natural, seeing how he is ready to betray his country and recognizing that the Party of Socialists is financed by Russia,” said Filip.

He spoke after a PD-controlled TV station, Publika, leaked a video of Dodon saying he received a monthly stipend from Moscow of about 700,000 US dollars, which helped the Socialists to function.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak told RIA Novosti that Plahotniuc had proposed a secret agreement between the Democratic Party and the Socialists.

He claimed that Plahotniuc had promised Dodon that he would change Moldova’s foreign policy axis, shifting it from the West to the East.

Filip announced on Sunday that early elections will be held on September 6. He said state institutions would operate normally in the meantime and called for “calm, respect for the law and constitutional order”.

He also warned politicians “not to implement a plan that increasingly gathers all the elements of a coup,” referring to the ACUM-Socialist deal.

On Saturday night, his supporters installed tents in front of institutions in Chisinau, supposedly in order to guard them.

The EU called for restraint by all actors. “Following the decisions taken by the parliament and in light of the ensuing developments, the European Union calls for calm and restraint. Democratically elected representatives must find the way forward for Moldova through dialogue,” the European External Action Service stated.