The ruling Alliance for European Integration announced this weekend that it would submit a proposal to change Article 78 in the Constitution to the Constitutional Court, which would require for the head of state in the country to be directly elected by the people.
Right now, Article 78 says that the President needs to be elected by three fifths of M.P.s in Parliament (61 out of 101). This requirement has caused a stalemate between the anti-Communists and the Communists in the legislature, since both after elections on April 5 and on July 29, neither group had a 61-seat majority.
The Communists have earlier submitted a different proposal to change the Constitution, asking for the head of state's election in Parliament in three rounds. The first round would require 61 votes, then 57, then 52.
The Party of Communists has been a vocal opponent of the direct election of the President. Analysts have suggested that this opposition comes from the fact that the party currently has no visible national leader that could win the election. In contrast, the Democratic Party is headed by Communist defector Marian Lupu, who is most likely to win a direct election.
About 70 percent of Moldovans would like to elect their President directly, according to recent polls.
The country's first and second presidents - Mircea Snegur and Petru Lucinschi - were elected directly. In 2000, the Communists and the Christian Democrats united to change the Constitution and have the head of state be elected by the legislature. Vladimir Voronin was elected in this way twice - in 2001 and 2005.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Interim President and Chisinau mayor release new footage of mass repression campaign on night of April 7 showing police forces beating protesters
Interim President Mihai Ghimpu and Chisinau mayor Dorin Chirtoaca held a press conference today, during which they presented a new 11-minute video shot in front of the Government on the night of April 7.
The recording shows hundreds of police officers and special forces hitting and kicking protesters senseless. At one point, the camera shoots a protester's body lying on the ground, who is not moving. Mr. Ghimpu and Mr. Chirtoaca suggested that that could be Valeriu Boboc, the young protester who was beaten to death on the night of April 7. Mr. Boboc's alleged body was later put in the back of a pick-up truck and taken to the hospital.
The two officials also suggest that Chisinau's police chief at the time - Iacob Gumenita - also showed up in front of the Government building and kicked protesters. Mr. Gumenita was fired when the ruling Alliance for European Integration took power. Mr. Ghimpu and Mr. Chirtoaca also suggested a number of names of police officers who were probably beating protesters. The faces of the attackers are difficult to identify because of the grainy footage.
Mr. Ghimpu and Mr. Chirtoaca said that it is still unclear who ordered the repression campaign, although former Communist President Vladimir Voronin told the press that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which seems to have coordinated the actions, was acting based on his orders.
No person has yet been convicted for beating protesters last year.
In a related news story, current Chisinau police chief Serghei Cociorva resigned today after meeting with Prime Minister Vlad Filat and after the new tape of the repression was released. Chisinau mayor Dorin Chirtoaca has accused Mr. Cociorva of being a part of the repression campaign in April.
The video can be seen on a number of websites, including Unimedia.md, www.stireazilei.md, and www.protv.md
The recording shows hundreds of police officers and special forces hitting and kicking protesters senseless. At one point, the camera shoots a protester's body lying on the ground, who is not moving. Mr. Ghimpu and Mr. Chirtoaca suggested that that could be Valeriu Boboc, the young protester who was beaten to death on the night of April 7. Mr. Boboc's alleged body was later put in the back of a pick-up truck and taken to the hospital.
The two officials also suggest that Chisinau's police chief at the time - Iacob Gumenita - also showed up in front of the Government building and kicked protesters. Mr. Gumenita was fired when the ruling Alliance for European Integration took power. Mr. Ghimpu and Mr. Chirtoaca also suggested a number of names of police officers who were probably beating protesters. The faces of the attackers are difficult to identify because of the grainy footage.
Mr. Ghimpu and Mr. Chirtoaca said that it is still unclear who ordered the repression campaign, although former Communist President Vladimir Voronin told the press that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which seems to have coordinated the actions, was acting based on his orders.
No person has yet been convicted for beating protesters last year.
In a related news story, current Chisinau police chief Serghei Cociorva resigned today after meeting with Prime Minister Vlad Filat and after the new tape of the repression was released. Chisinau mayor Dorin Chirtoaca has accused Mr. Cociorva of being a part of the repression campaign in April.
The video can be seen on a number of websites, including Unimedia.md, www.stireazilei.md, and www.protv.md
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Moldova-born man dies in Moscow metro explosions
Anton Mikryukov, a Moldova-born 32-year-old man, has been listed by Russian authorities as having died as a result of the Moscow metro explosions yesterday.
It is still unclear who the perpetrators were during two attacks on the Russian metro system, but Moscow has suggested terrorism.
No further information about Mr. Mikryukov has been provided yet.
It is still unclear who the perpetrators were during two attacks on the Russian metro system, but Moscow has suggested terrorism.
No further information about Mr. Mikryukov has been provided yet.
Moldova first place in CIS in amount of minutes spoken on the telephone with Russia
According to Russian research organization ComNews Research, our of every CIS country and Georgia, Moldova takes first place when it comes to the duration of telephone calls per person coming from Russia.
The average duration of a phone conversation from Russia to Moldova lasts 46 minutes. According to the organization, more than 170,000 Moldovans live in Russia at the moment.
Many are migrant workers concentrated in large cities like Moscow. Some are currently working in Sochi, which will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
The average duration of a phone conversation from Russia to Moldova lasts 46 minutes. According to the organization, more than 170,000 Moldovans live in Russia at the moment.
Many are migrant workers concentrated in large cities like Moscow. Some are currently working in Sochi, which will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
Transnistria holds local elections, election observers from other separatist republics say poll went smoothly
The breakaway republic of Transnistria held local elections on March 28.
Turnout reached 43.36 percent, well over the minimum 25 percent necessary for validation.
Election observers from Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh, all of which are contested separatist republics themselves, said that the poll had gone smoothly and without any problems.
Moldova does not recognize Transnistrian elections.
No results are available yet.
Turnout reached 43.36 percent, well over the minimum 25 percent necessary for validation.
Election observers from Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh, all of which are contested separatist republics themselves, said that the poll had gone smoothly and without any problems.
Moldova does not recognize Transnistrian elections.
No results are available yet.
In sign of letting go of combative attitude, Communists announce modernization plan
The Party of Communists (PC) announced this weekend that it sought to implement what it called the Moldovan Project, which seeks to develop ties with civil society and propose ideas for the future of the Moldovan state.
The PC also presented its own nine-member shadow cabinet.
PC head and former President Vladimir Voronin (2001-2009) has previously said that although the party has always gotten a large number of votes during elections, it has had little visible political support in society. Mr. Voronin is most likely talking about the fact that anti-Communist rallies and protests have always gathered a very large number of people compared to the Moldovans who have shown up to Communist gatherings.
Mr. Voronin suggested that this situation could exist because his party has ignored this type of political engagement with society and because there might be a "silent majority" in Moldova that is difficult to mobilize but seeks benefits from any government, no matter what its political identity.
Political analysts have said that this new project signals that the PC is trying to find a way to modernize and promote young people at the helm. But most doubt the Communists will be able to become more like a European social democratic party, or at least shed more of its post-Soviet dominant party identity, as long as Mr. Voronin heads it.
The PC has, ever since it has become a visible political force in Moldovan politics toward the end of the 1990s, taken a very combative approach toward its political opponents, which culminated in accusations that the anti-Communist forces tried to stage a coup in April 2009.
The Communists might have changed their tone after realizing that it will be extremely difficult for them to win a majority of seats in Parliament during the next early elections. So they are probably trying to send messages to potential allies like the Democratic Party and the Moldova Unita [United Moldova] Party.
The PC also presented its own nine-member shadow cabinet.
PC head and former President Vladimir Voronin (2001-2009) has previously said that although the party has always gotten a large number of votes during elections, it has had little visible political support in society. Mr. Voronin is most likely talking about the fact that anti-Communist rallies and protests have always gathered a very large number of people compared to the Moldovans who have shown up to Communist gatherings.
Mr. Voronin suggested that this situation could exist because his party has ignored this type of political engagement with society and because there might be a "silent majority" in Moldova that is difficult to mobilize but seeks benefits from any government, no matter what its political identity.
Political analysts have said that this new project signals that the PC is trying to find a way to modernize and promote young people at the helm. But most doubt the Communists will be able to become more like a European social democratic party, or at least shed more of its post-Soviet dominant party identity, as long as Mr. Voronin heads it.
The PC has, ever since it has become a visible political force in Moldovan politics toward the end of the 1990s, taken a very combative approach toward its political opponents, which culminated in accusations that the anti-Communist forces tried to stage a coup in April 2009.
The Communists might have changed their tone after realizing that it will be extremely difficult for them to win a majority of seats in Parliament during the next early elections. So they are probably trying to send messages to potential allies like the Democratic Party and the Moldova Unita [United Moldova] Party.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Police say they found explosive materials at homes of Communist sympathizers in Balti; Communists accuse Alliance of detaining "political prisoners"
Earlier this week, the General Prosecutor's office announced that security forces found weapons, munitions, and explosive materials in the homes of two Communist sympathizers in the city of Balti. Balti is the largest city in the north and the second largest in the country. It has been a Communist stronghold for a long time, and the current mayor there is a member of the Party of Communists (PC).
The two young men - Sergiu Blajevschi and Eugen Iachimov - are part of a boxing club. One of them is a PC member.
Communist M.P. Mark Tkaciuk has reacted to the accusations by saying that police forces in the country are following the orders of the ruling Alliance for European Integration (AEI), and called Mr. Blajevschi and Mr. Iachimov "political prisoners."
Justice Minister Alexandru Tanase has denied these accusations.
The two young men - Sergiu Blajevschi and Eugen Iachimov - are part of a boxing club. One of them is a PC member.
Communist M.P. Mark Tkaciuk has reacted to the accusations by saying that police forces in the country are following the orders of the ruling Alliance for European Integration (AEI), and called Mr. Blajevschi and Mr. Iachimov "political prisoners."
Justice Minister Alexandru Tanase has denied these accusations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
