Moldova's Party of Socialists nominates its leader Dodon for president
CHISINAU. Aug 31 (Interfax) - Moldova's opposition Party of Socialists has nominated its leader Igor Dodon for president.
The decision was made at a meeting of the Party of Socialists' Republican Council on a lakeshore near Moldova's oldest Capriana monastery on Wednesday, an Interfax correspondent reported from the ground.
"We are nominating a worthy candidate capable of winning these elections, liberating the oligarch-infested country, and ensuring its development and prosperity. This is Party of Socialists leader Igor Dodon," Party of Socialists Republican Council member Ivan Ceban said.
Following the nomination, meeting participants watched on a widescreen a documentary about Dodon, which was filmed specially for the launch of his election campaign.
Dodon's nomination gained the unanimous support of the Party of Socialists' Republican Council.
Dodon thanked them for their confidence and spelled out principal tasks of the future president.
"I believe that the future president should solve a number of important tasks. First of all, maintain statehood, independence, neutrality and identity of Moldova and Moldovans. Second of all, lead the country out of a socioeconomic crisis and ensure its sustainable economic development. Thirdly, preserve our belief, Orthodoxy and traditional values. Last but not the least, we should restore relations with our traditional partners, the Russian Federation. We need to prove that Moldova has a future," Dodon said, adding that this would be the party's slogan in the upcoming elections.
The Party of Socialists will submit documents to the Central Elections Commission on Wednesday afternoon to register an initiative group, which will collect signatures in support of the candidate's registration.
A presidential election campaign began in Moldova on Wednesday. The elections will be held on October 30.
The Central Elections Commission is accepting documents for registration of presidential campaign teams. The registration deadline is September 9. Eligible candidates need at least 15,000 signatures of their supporters to be able to join the presidential race. Registered candidates will be permitted to start canvassing on October 1 after they are issued candidate IDs.
Moldova will hold presidential elections on October 30. These will be the first universal presidential elections since 1996. The country has elected its presidents in parliament since 2000. On March 4, 2016, the Moldovan Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the 2000 reform of the constitution and restored universal presidential elections in Moldova.