TschThis explains the majority’s decision to postpone the approval of the leadership of the first session of the Moldovan parliament, which was expected to appoint its governing bodies, unexpectedly ended after the speech of President Sandu. Socialists accused the pro-presidential party of unwillingness to work
Maya Sandu
The first meeting of the Moldovan parliament elected less than a month ago ended in a small scandal. It was expected that the speaker and vice-speakers would be approved and permanent parliamentary commissions would be created. The deputies from the pro-European party that won the majority in the elections “Action and Solidarity”(PAS) did not appoint the leadership of the parliament. Instead, after listening to a 40-minute speech by Maya Sandu, the founder of PAS, and now the president of the country, they simply left the hall, which caused outrage of their main opponents-the bloc of socialists and communists. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, July 29.
How was the meeting held
The session opened with a speech by the head of the Constitutional Court Domnica Manole. She confirmed the legality of the early parliamentary elections held on July 11 and recalled their main results: the PAS party received 63 mandates, the bloc of Socialists and Communists had 32, and the Shor party had six mandates.
Then the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, took the floor. She called the new parliamentary majority “honest and reformist”and said that” this is the time of a real revolution in the way the country is governed”. Sandu promised that the parliamentary majority, the new government and the president “will work together”. “The time is over when good laws remained only on paper,” mdash;she added. The President also announced a general audit of public sector employees and declared “zero tolerance for corruption”. & laquo;To restore order is necessary starting with the parliament & lt;… & gt;. The parliament should obey the law and not allow thieves to steal under the guise of the law. The parliament should be active, transparent and open to dialogue, respect legal procedures, ” Sandu stressed.
The President’s speech was more like a government program than a traditional address to parliament, although this is the prerogative of the Prime Minister. After Sandu finished her speech, PAS leader Igor Grossu unexpectedly suggested that the deputies take a break and return to the meeting on July 29, and during this time decide on the names of future leadersthe parliament and the composition of the commissions. “This week, after the governing bodies of the parliament are formed, perhaps the president will invite the factions to consultations and announce a candidate [for prime minister]. It is obvious that we have a candidate, but we will announce his name at consultations with the president, ” he announced the imminent appointment of the government.
The proposal was not liked by the main opponents of PAS in the parliament-the bloc of socialists and communists. “Our majority decided to break the rules and left the hall. We remained in the minority, a break is announced until Thursday, ” said socialist Eduard Smirnov, who led the meeting. “Why was this meeting held so that one person could speak for 40 minutes? You yourself offered to take up work urgently!”The executive secretary of the Party of Socialists, Vlad Batryncha, was indignant. This party had the largest faction in the previous parliament, but the Socialists lost the July elections.
The leader of this party, Igor Dodon, did not come to parliament. Batryncha told RBC that the ex-president is going to be there on Thursday. The meeting, however, was attended by the leader of the Communist Party, Vladimir Voronin.
Why did PAS take a break
The party has not yet fully decided on the future composition of the government, this is the reason for the delay, suggests the director of the Moldovan Institute of Public Policy, Arkady Barbarosie. In his opinion, the ministers of economy, agriculture and health, labor and social protection have not yet been selected (this is one department). “On the other hand, it would be possible to appoint a speaker and vice-speakers today, including, according to tradition, to put someone from the opposition as one of them, and to announce the composition of the government later,” the expert points out the strangeness of parliamentary sitting.
There are two reasons for the postponement of the constituent meeting, says Viorel Cibotaru, an associate of Sandu, executive director of the European Institute for Political Studies. The first is the desire to focus attention on the president’s speech, so that people’s second, technical phase does not obscure Sandu’s messages. “Because it was not just an appeal to the parliament, not a party program, but a broader strategy for bringing the country [out of the crisis],” notes Cibotaru. Another reason for postponing the vote, suggestsIt is connected with the fact that the PAS has not yet managed to reach a full understanding with the socialists and communists. The party wants the parliament to have the “right atmosphere”, the expert says. Even if it does not work out, the PAS still has the majority, they do not need allies to accomplish their plans, he continues. ” But it would be good to bury the hatchet. I want common goals, as it was in 2019 (then the Socialists merged with the Sandu party and ended the influence of the oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc in the country. & mdash; RBC)», & mdash; interprets the intentions of the party to Chibotaru.
Barbarosi doubts that the hitch is that PAS could not agree on something with its opponents. “Sandu’s attitude to the Socialist leadership is extremely negative:Dodon should be in prison, ” the expert says.
Cibotaru believes that there will be no unexpected appointments on Thursday. “Surprises are not needed now. Most likely, Natalia Gavrilitsa will be the prime minister, and Igor Grosu will be the speaker. People voted for this (in the parliamentary elections. & mdash; RBC). Why do we need surprises now? With these appointments, the promised predictability and stability should begin, ” he says.
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After being elected president last year, Sandu has already nominated Gavrilitsa for the post of Prime Minister in February 2021.Then the parliament, in which the Socialists had a majority, rejected this candidate. At the second attempt,the president nominated Grosu as Prime Minister— they also did not vote for his candidacy, which eventually allowed the legislative body to be dissolved and re-elections to be held.
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