Foreigner shouldn't become new prosecutor general of Moldova - President Dodon
CHISINAU. July 4 (Interfax) - Only a citizen of Moldova should become the new prosecutor general of Moldova, Moldovan President Igor Dodon said.
The president said on the TV channel NTV-Moldova on Wednesday he is certain the new administration will succeed in dismissing Eduard Harunjen from the post of prosecutor general of Moldova soon.
Responding to a question about a potential candidate for the post of prosecutor general, Dodon said all parties (the president, the speaker, and the prime minister) need to agree on this person.
"It should be an honest, independent, and resolute person, who is capable of completing the reforms and purging the country of all corruption. In the course of the Democratic Party regime, the legal system was extremely politicized, the prosecutors and courts were hurt. But honest people do exist and they should be working; not for the new administration or some party, but according to the law," Dodon said.
The prosecutor general should be a citizen of Moldova, he said, although the parliament has begun making amendments to the legislation under which Moldovan citizenship is not a prerequisite for becoming prosecutor general.
"The ACUM bloc promised this to its voters. I understand that we promised a lot too. But neither the right-wing parties, nor us [the Socialist Party] have full power. It needs to be explained to voters that a compromise should be sought in certain issues. If we recognize ourselves as an independent state, we cannot nominate citizens of other states to important state posts," Dodon said.
Foreign specialists and experts can be advisers, analyze situations, and issue decisions on bills, he said.
"I'm not against foreign experts who can be near the prosecutor general, the interior minister, or someplace else. They can provide legal assistance using their experience, but the prosecutor general should be a citizen of Moldova. My position is very clear here. We've discussed this issue with [Prime Minister] Maia Sandu. Don't worry, this issue will not divide our alliance as the Democratic Party wanted," Dodon said.
Moldovan Prime Minister Sandu said on Monday she suggested appointing a citizen of one of the EU countries prosecutor general, but would not insist on this.