Speaker and interim President Mihai Ghimpu cancels visa regime with Romania, nominates Liberal Democrat Vlad Filat for Prime Minister position

Speaker and interim President Mihai Ghimpu signed his first two decrees today. The first one cancelled Moldova's visa regime with Romania. The Party of Communists-led Government imposed visas on Bucharest after accusing it of organizing the April 7 devastation of the Parliament and Presidency buildings as a result of street protests. President Voronin said at the time he had evidence of Romania's participation in the mass unrest, but the Prosecutor General later said Romania was not involved "as a country."

Mr. Ghimpu said that any customs official who will refuse to abide by the decree will be punished. The Speaker made the statement as many analysts have spoken about the difficulties the ruling Alliance may have with regaining control over the security forces in the country, many of which have been accused of having close ties with the Party of Communists. Ziarul de Garda called the Customs Office today, and representatives there said they had not heard of the decree.

The second decree nominated Liberal Democratic Party head Vlad Filat for the Prime Minister position. Mr. Filat's cabinet will have 16 ministries and eight agencies. The Alliance scrapped the Ministry of Reintegration (which deals with solving the conflict with the breakaway republic of Transnistria) and the Local Public Administration Ministry. The Party of Communists criticized this move. Alliance members said, however, that a deputy Prime Minister will now deal with the Transnistrian problem.

h/t www.deca.md
www.jurnal.md