Right-wing bloc ACUM, socialists in Moldovan parliament impose conditions for coalition talks on each other
CHISINAU. April 15 (Interfax) - The right-wing political bloc ACUM in the Moldovan parliament will discuss the suggestions of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) on the establishment of the ruling coalition on Tuesday.
"The deputies of the bloc will convene on Tuesday, the time of the meeting has not been determined as of yet," parliamentarian Radum Marian, ACUM spokesperson, told Interfax.
ACUM co-chair Andrei Nastase, in turn, wrote on Facebook that the "Socialists must assume public obligations that they will not create the coalition with the Democratic Party, regardless of the results of negotiations with ACUM."
"The Socialists must publicly admit that they want to continue the session of parliament and wish to hold talks with the ACUM bloc as part of the permanent parliamentary platform on deoligarchization of the country and a return to the proportional election system. And if these talks fail, the Socialists must categorically rule out the scenario under which they would vote for the speaker together with the DPM [Democratic Party of Moldova] and [its leader Vlad] Plahotniuc, even if the speaker is a socialist, and the establishment of the government," Nastase said.
"We ask that Igor Dodon, the actual leader of the Party of Socialists, publicly assume such obligations. Not only should there be no possibility of initiating a speaker with the DPM on the PSRM's agenda now, but the PSRM must not vote together with the DPM in the future," he said.
PSRM member Eduard Smirnov, who has been chairing the first session as the oldest parliamentarian, said that he had taken the ACUM bloc's wishes into consideration and that the decision to resume the session would be adopted in agreement with the factions.
As reported, on Friday, the PSRM Republican Council set a number of conditions for the establishment of the coalition with the ACUM bloc. To that end, the Socialists have nominated their leader Zinaida Greceanii for parliamentary speaker and voiced their readiness to delegate to the future government the ministers to be in charge of foreign policy, defense, public order, and reintegration of the country. The PSRM also insists on a return to the presidential powers which were in force before October 1, 2016, as well as the adoption of a number of laws. The PSRM sponsored three packages of bills, which, according to the party, must be adopted for the improvement of the situation in the country. These three packages were conditionally divided into "The Priority Package of Bills," "The Strengthening of the Public Institutions" and "The Division of Responsibility in Governance." The Socialists also insist on the establishment of the official coalition and joint endorsing of the government and refuse to support the ACUM bloc's minority government.
Four parties won parliamentary seats in the recent parliamentary elections in Moldova, which took place on February 24. The pro-Russian Party of Socialists (PSRM) got 35, the Democratic Party (PDM) 30, the rightwing ACUM bloc 26, and the Shor Party seven mandates. Three unaffiliated candidates who won in their single-mandate constituencies are also represented in parliament.
If the parliamentarians fail to agree on building a parliamentary majority and endorsing a new government within three months from the first parliamentary session, the president will be entitled to dissolve the parliament and call new elections. This deadline expires on June 21.