Democratic Party head Marian Lupu, the ruling Alliance for European Integration's (AEI) presidential candidate, will be leaving for Moscow tomorrow at the official invitation of the governing United Russia party. Democratic Party head Stela Jantuan told Unimedia that Mr. Lupu would also be meeting with "decision-makers."
In a related news story, Stirea Zilei writes that Communist head and former Presidenti Vladimir Voronin went to Russia today. Sources from the Party of Communists have said that Mr. Voronin may meet with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.
It is unclear if the two political rivals will cross paths in Moscow. This is a sign, however, that Russia is taking a proactive role in getting involved in the political crisis in Moldova.
The ruling Alliance for European Integration is eight seats short of the 61 votes it needs to elect a head of state. Those votes can only come from the Party of Communists. Although some Communist members have said that they would be willing to vote for a President, Vladimir Voronin has been adamantly against it thus far.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Ruling Alliance M.P.s change law on presidential election
The legislature held a new session today, during which ruling Alliance for European Integration (AEI) M.P.s voted to change the law on the presidential election in the first reading. A second reading is expected to be passed tomorrow.
From now on, elections will be valid even if only one person runs. Previously, the Constitutional Court ruled that at least two candidates needed to be put forth by the legislators.
Candidates can also be registered three days ahead of the election as opposed to five days.
If M.P.s fail to elect a President in two rounds, early legislative elections will be called.
The new law says that early elections can only be held a whole year after the last time the legislature was dissolved, which would theoretically be June 12, 2010.
The ruling Alliance, which is eight votes short of the 61 votes it needs to elect a President, has been scrambling to find a way to get the Party of Communists to vote for a head of state. Although some Communist M.P.s have expressed their willingness to do so, the party leadership, especially Vladimir Voronin, has been adamantly opposed.
Earlier, legislators has to postpone the presidential election initially scheduled for October 23 since only one candidate - the Alliance's Marian Lupu - registered to run.
From now on, elections will be valid even if only one person runs. Previously, the Constitutional Court ruled that at least two candidates needed to be put forth by the legislators.
Candidates can also be registered three days ahead of the election as opposed to five days.
If M.P.s fail to elect a President in two rounds, early legislative elections will be called.
The new law says that early elections can only be held a whole year after the last time the legislature was dissolved, which would theoretically be June 12, 2010.
The ruling Alliance, which is eight votes short of the 61 votes it needs to elect a President, has been scrambling to find a way to get the Party of Communists to vote for a head of state. Although some Communist M.P.s have expressed their willingness to do so, the party leadership, especially Vladimir Voronin, has been adamantly opposed.
Earlier, legislators has to postpone the presidential election initially scheduled for October 23 since only one candidate - the Alliance's Marian Lupu - registered to run.
Convict on the loose in Chisinau
A 26-year old convict escaped from a Chisinau hospital today after being taken there to be treated from tuberculosis.
Earlier in the day, media outlets say, Chisinau was full of police officers, who were looking for him.
The convict's name is Alexandru Panarin. He has not been apprehended yet.
h/t www.jurnal.md
www.stireazilei.md
Earlier in the day, media outlets say, Chisinau was full of police officers, who were looking for him.
The convict's name is Alexandru Panarin. He has not been apprehended yet.
h/t www.jurnal.md
www.stireazilei.md
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Communist M.P.: Democratic Party and Communist representatives met, did not reach agreement
Communist M.P. and former Presidential advisor Mark Tkaciuk told the press that Democratic Party (DP) head Marian Lupu met with Party of Communists (PC) head today to talk about the presidential election. Mr. Lupu is the ruling Alliance for European Integration's candidate. Mr. Voronin has said that he will not vote for Mr. Lupu.
Mr. Tkaciuk said that the meeting did not yield any agreement between the two parties.
„Last week, the PC received an emotional request for friendship and cooperation from the DP, not from the Alliance. Today, representatives from the two parties had a talk over a cut of coffee about this request and analyzed whether such cooperation is possible," Mr. Tkaciuk said during a press conference. "Questions were asked and answers were provided, which do not allow us to have an optimistic attitude toward the continuation of cooperation," Mr. Tkaciuk concluded.
h/t www.hotnews.md
Mr. Tkaciuk said that the meeting did not yield any agreement between the two parties.
„Last week, the PC received an emotional request for friendship and cooperation from the DP, not from the Alliance. Today, representatives from the two parties had a talk over a cut of coffee about this request and analyzed whether such cooperation is possible," Mr. Tkaciuk said during a press conference. "Questions were asked and answers were provided, which do not allow us to have an optimistic attitude toward the continuation of cooperation," Mr. Tkaciuk concluded.
h/t www.hotnews.md
IMF to give Moldova 590 million dollars in the next three years, Communists say the IMF "is not an apolitical organization"
The International Monetary Fund has agreed to give Moldova a 590-million-dollar-loan in installments over the next three years, said Prime Minister Vlad Filat in a press conference on Wednesday.
Chisinau can also use the Special Drawing Rights alloted to it this year, which amount to 180 million U.S. dollars, in order to immediately complement the budget.
Mr. Filat noted that half of the 590 million will go to covering the budget deficit, while the other will be used for the country's currency reserves.
Former Economy Minister and current Communist M.P. Igor Dodon criticized the IMF's decision in a statement to BusinessExpert, accusing it of double standards.
„During our previous negotiations, we [the Party of Communists, which was in power at the time] were told that the IMF would sign an agreement with us only as long as the opposition at the time accepted it. This time, the IMF didn't even meet with the largest parliamentary party [the Communists, who are now in the opposition]. [...] So nobody believes the IMF is an apolitical organization anymore," Mr. Dodon stressed.
The IMF held negotiations with the previous Communist Government earlier this year, but decided to leave before negotiations were officially over after the Communists refused to accept certain IMF conditions.
h/t www.businessexpert.md
Chisinau can also use the Special Drawing Rights alloted to it this year, which amount to 180 million U.S. dollars, in order to immediately complement the budget.
Mr. Filat noted that half of the 590 million will go to covering the budget deficit, while the other will be used for the country's currency reserves.
Former Economy Minister and current Communist M.P. Igor Dodon criticized the IMF's decision in a statement to BusinessExpert, accusing it of double standards.
„During our previous negotiations, we [the Party of Communists, which was in power at the time] were told that the IMF would sign an agreement with us only as long as the opposition at the time accepted it. This time, the IMF didn't even meet with the largest parliamentary party [the Communists, who are now in the opposition]. [...] So nobody believes the IMF is an apolitical organization anymore," Mr. Dodon stressed.
The IMF held negotiations with the previous Communist Government earlier this year, but decided to leave before negotiations were officially over after the Communists refused to accept certain IMF conditions.
h/t www.businessexpert.md
Prime Minister to his cabinet: Stop hanging portraits of officials in your office
Prime Minister Vlad Filat told his cabinet today to stop hanging portraits of officials in their work offices.
”I don't want to hear about this happening anymore. Whoever is in love with the 'leader of the tribe' should show it in a different way, even in the bedroom, if they really want to, but not at work," Mr. Filat added.
Since 2001, when the Communists came to power, most officials put up portraits of Communist leader and former President (2001-2009) Vladimir Voronin in their offices. Anti-Communists criticized this as another sign that Moldova was becoming increasingly authoritarian.
h/t www.unimedia.md
h/t www.stireazilei.md
”I don't want to hear about this happening anymore. Whoever is in love with the 'leader of the tribe' should show it in a different way, even in the bedroom, if they really want to, but not at work," Mr. Filat added.
Since 2001, when the Communists came to power, most officials put up portraits of Communist leader and former President (2001-2009) Vladimir Voronin in their offices. Anti-Communists criticized this as another sign that Moldova was becoming increasingly authoritarian.
h/t www.unimedia.md
h/t www.stireazilei.md
Communist M.P. denies fellow party member's accusations that ruling Alliance threatening Communists with criminal prosecution
Communist M.P. Iurie Stoicov has denied allegations made by his colleague and fellow party member Iurie Munteanu, who said that Party of Communists (PC) deputies are being threatened with criminal prosecution if they refuse to vote for Marian Lupu for President. Mr. Lupu is the ruling Alliance for European Integration's candidate.
Mr. Stoicov said during a television program that he has never received any threats, has never been blackmailed, and that he is not aware of any of his colleagues being subjected to this type of pressure. „These are serious accusations. I do not know what Mr. Munteanu meant to say,” Mr. Stoicov adds.
Mr. Stoicov's statement comes as the Party of Communists is showing increasing signs of internal conflict over the election of the President. A few days ago, Communist M.P. Vladimir Turcan sent a letter to Party of Communists head and former President Vladimir Voronin (2001-2009), asking him to vote for a head of state and thusly avoid early elections. Mr. Voronin has been very reluctant to accept Mr. Turcan's arguments.
In addition, Communist M.P. Victor Stepaniuc has said that he would be willing to vote for a President as long as it was not Mr. Lupu. The Communists have been very critical of Marian Lupu ever since he left them in April 2009, amid rumors that he was unpleased with the fact that the Communist leadership refused to nominate him for President.
The PC nominated then-Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii instead. Ms. Greceanii received 60 votes during the two election rounds, which was one short of the 61 necessary to elect a President.
Numerous analysts in Chisinau have said that rifts within the PC, which between 2001 and 2009 became notorious for being somewhat of a monolith, have now become visible. Some, like Jurnal de Chisinau's Petru Bogatu, have predicted that the Communists could splinter into a few groups.
The PC also seems to have fallen out of favor with Moscow after Russian President Dmitri Medvedev visited Chisinau during the Commonwealth of Independent States summit earlier in October and met with Marian Lupu. Russian media outlets wrote at the time that Vladimir Voronin had asked for a meeting but that the Russian head of state declined.
Mr. Stoicov said during a television program that he has never received any threats, has never been blackmailed, and that he is not aware of any of his colleagues being subjected to this type of pressure. „These are serious accusations. I do not know what Mr. Munteanu meant to say,” Mr. Stoicov adds.
Mr. Stoicov's statement comes as the Party of Communists is showing increasing signs of internal conflict over the election of the President. A few days ago, Communist M.P. Vladimir Turcan sent a letter to Party of Communists head and former President Vladimir Voronin (2001-2009), asking him to vote for a head of state and thusly avoid early elections. Mr. Voronin has been very reluctant to accept Mr. Turcan's arguments.
In addition, Communist M.P. Victor Stepaniuc has said that he would be willing to vote for a President as long as it was not Mr. Lupu. The Communists have been very critical of Marian Lupu ever since he left them in April 2009, amid rumors that he was unpleased with the fact that the Communist leadership refused to nominate him for President.
The PC nominated then-Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii instead. Ms. Greceanii received 60 votes during the two election rounds, which was one short of the 61 necessary to elect a President.
Numerous analysts in Chisinau have said that rifts within the PC, which between 2001 and 2009 became notorious for being somewhat of a monolith, have now become visible. Some, like Jurnal de Chisinau's Petru Bogatu, have predicted that the Communists could splinter into a few groups.
The PC also seems to have fallen out of favor with Moscow after Russian President Dmitri Medvedev visited Chisinau during the Commonwealth of Independent States summit earlier in October and met with Marian Lupu. Russian media outlets wrote at the time that Vladimir Voronin had asked for a meeting but that the Russian head of state declined.
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