CHISINAU, July 4. /TASS/. Moldovan President Igor Dodon expects his country’s relations with Russia to improve when new parliamentary majority and government are formed after a parliamentary vote.
"Together with the Party of Socialists, we need to create a pro-presidential parliamentary majority that promotes the interests of our state, the Republic of Moldova," he told reporters. "If, after the election, we see that there is no one we can work together in the parliament, we will take our people to the streets to begin large-scale protests."
He said the Democratic Party and its pro-European parliamentary coalition, which has formed the incumbent government and the parliamentary majority, had spoiled its relations with Russia to the point when they "just cannot get any worse."
"That’s why relations can be improved only after the parliamentary elections," the Moldovan leader said.
"At the presidential level, Moldova and Russia have good relations and mutual understanding. At the regional level, dozens of agreements have been signed," he said, adding that inter-parliamentary relations between the two states can be described as "partly bad."
"The parliamentary leadership prohibits members of parliaments from visiting Russia, but the Socialists’ faction visits all events related to bilateral ties. But there is total boycott at the level of governments," Dodon added.
The Moldovan leader said his initiatives are being regularly blocked by the parliamentary majority and the government.
"The parliament and the government totally block the work of the presidential administration, which remains the last institution outside its control," he said, adding that special services and the state protective service were removed outside the president’s control. In addition, a prosecutor general was also appointed without presidential approval.
A coalition of pro-European parties rose to power in Moldova in 2009. Although Washington and Brussels have signaled support for the country’s EU aspirations, the pro-European coalition’s rule has been marred by an economic crisis and a series of political and corruption scandals.
According to latest opinion polls, despite the recent visa-free agreement with the EU, the number of pro-European supporters dropped from 70% of the population in 2010 to the current 38% At the same time, a total of 54% currently favor their country’s accession to the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Dodon, who leads the pro-EAEU Socialists’ party, won presidential elections in 2016.
According to Dodon, parliamentary elections in Moldova may take place on November 19 or 25. Opinion polls suggest that his party is likely to win them.