Moldovan parliament calls for cabinet resignation

Members of opposition Socialist Party and Communist Party in the Moldovan parliament have filed a no-confidence vote against the acting cabinet.

“Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet and the government in general have lost their right to implement domestic and foreign policies and rule the country. The government of the Republic of Moldova should be dismissed through a no-confidence vote,” says a statement signed by 42 MPs. A no-confidence vote needs 26 supporters to be considered.

According to the rules of the parliament, the issue will be discussed at a parliamentary session next week, on October 29. The current government was formed by the ruling pro-European coalition.

Earlier, members of the Socialist party faction submitted a package of draft laws regarding the no-confidence vote and resignation of top governmental officials. “We need to make the government resign. The further procedure is known: they will have no parliamentary majority, so they will not be able to form the government. Only early elections will relieve us of this corrupt government,” Igor Dodon, leader of the Socialist Party, said.

The proposal was supported by the Communists, whose leader, former president Vladimir Voronin announced that Strelet was more concerned about his business with former prime minister Vlad Filat than about the country. Filat is now under arrest on a corruption charge.

President Nicolae Timofti proposed Strelet’s candidature for prime minister’s post. Members of the pro-European coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova, the Democratic Party of Moldova and the Liberal Party supported his cabinet.

The Communists, Socialists and a group of independent MPs led by former prime minister Iurie Leancă abstained from the voting then.