Moldovan president urges compatriots, int'l community to back peaceful transition of power
CHISINAU. June 9 (Interfax) - Moldovan President Igor Dodon has appealed to the international community to act as a mediator in a peaceful transition of power in the country.
Dodon said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday morning that the events that took place in Moldova the day before showed that "Moldovan citizens having different views on the domestic and foreign politics may unite for a common goal: the liberation of Moldova from a criminal and dictatorial regime."
"As we see, the Democratic Party is not going to peacefully hand power over to the legitimate parliamentary majority and legitimate government, even despite that yesterday's processes in parliament and the newly-formed government enjoyed support from an overwhelming majority of the citizens and were recognized by our foreign partners from the West and from the East," he said.
In this situation, "it is important not to stop our pressure and continue our struggle," he said.
"I am sure the process has been launched, and there is no way back. We need to go ahead till the end. We won't turn away from this path. In this situation, we have no choice but to appeal to the international community to mediate in a process of a peaceful transition of power and/or call on the Moldovan people to mobilize unprecedentedly and start peaceful protests," Dodon said.
He also called on the people not to join demonstrations organized by the Democratic Party on Sunday.
"I am calling on everyone to stay home together with your families. Do not fall for the threats and provocations by the outgoing regime of Plahotniuc [Democratic Party leader Vlad Plahotniuc]. The situation has changed already. Change has come about in Moldova!" he said.
The Moldovan parliament on Saturday endorsed the composition of a new government and declared the country "a seized state" that needs to be liberated. This happened after the Constitutional Court had ruled that the president had to dissolve the parliament and set a date for early elections, as the parliament failed to form a new government within 90 days after the endorsement of the outcomes of parliamentary elections.
The Party of Socialists (PSRM) and the right-wing ACUM bloc argued that the deadline had not yet expired, as the constitution allots three months rather than 90 days for forming a government. The PSRM and ACUM signed an agreement on the "de-oligarchization" of Moldova, after which they convened a parliamentary session.
The participants in the session elected a speaker and deputy speakers, endorsed the parliament's structure and formed its Standing Bureau. PSRM Chair Zinaida Greceanii was elected the speaker. The parliament on Saturday also endorsed a new government led by Maia Sandu, the leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS). The parliamentarians also confirmed another leader of the right-wing opposition, Andrei Nastase, as interior minister.
The Constitutional Court immediately ruled the parliament's actions illegitimate. The Democratic Party refused to recognize the new government and hand power over to it.
The embassies of the United States and Russia and the Delegation of the European Union to Moldova have spoken in support of the parliament and the government it has formed and welcomed the efforts aimed at overcoming the political crisis.