BREAKING: Moldova’s Constitutional Court Ready to Remove President Opposing Ban on Russian Media
The President of Moldova asked the Constitutional Court to verify the so-called law on combating propaganda. Igor Dodon believes that the document aimed at limiting Russian television programs broadcast in the country contradict the principles of democracy. However, this is only one of the episodes of Dodon's confrontation with the pro-Western parliamentary majority, which is struggling to deprive the president of his powers.
Our special correspondent Alexander Rudenko will report from Chisinau on what this conflict can bring to the country.
The situation in the capital of Moldova, Chisinau, is now tense. Several police patrols are on duty at the government house. A new round of political conflict between the president and his opponents can provoke rallies and protests, and the government understands this well.
The majority of Moldovan citizens are on Igor Dodon’s side. Almost 50 percent of the population supports the current head of the republic, according to recent polls. So, bewilderment is the most innocuous term describing the people's reaction to the decision of the Constitutional Court to remove the incumbent from power without good reasons.
Chisinau citizen: "The group, which isn’t popular among the population, strips a person of power, a person whom the people chose. It’s not right".
Moldovan political scientists are convinced that the government is trying to discredit the president with all its might. The pro-Western politicians, who make up the majority, both in the parliament and in the government, are doing everything to make Dodon leave by himself.
Boris Shapovalov, political scientist: "This is one of the forms of a soft coup. There’s a limitation of the authority of the president, whom the people elected, as a matter of fact".
The head of state refused to appoint seven pro-Western ministers for the second time. The president doesn’t consider the former head of the government, Iurie Leancă, fit for the position of the vice premier for European integration. Another former prime minister, Chiril Gaburici, didn’t suit him as a potential minister of economy. The media believe that both were involved in the so-called "theft of the century," when in 2015, a billion euros was transferred from the country's largest banks to an offshore account.
Igor Dodon, Facebook: "It's better than having to explain for years why this or that group of discredited ministers was appointed to the positions".
Igor Tulyantsev, political scientist: "The regime is associated with a pro-European course. But in Moldova, this made no one’s life better. Our life only gets worse and people emigrate".
Nevertheless, the Constitutional Court, the majority of members of which have Romanian citizenship, decided that the ministers would be appointed.
The parliamentary offices are now empty — the deputies are taking a New Year's holiday break. But the parliament speaker, Andrian Candu, will cut his vacation short, sacrificing his personal time to renew the Cabinet of Ministers. The appointment procedure should be held tomorrow — January 5.
The President of Moldova has little so far to oppose his rivals. However, it’s possible that the alignment of forces will change very soon. This year, the next parliamentary elections will be held. And according to the latest polls, only 5 percent of the population is ready to vote for the opponents of the presidential line.
Alexander Rudenko and Oleg Fedorov, Vesti.