CHISINAU, December 30. /TASS/. Moldova will face social upheaval next year against the corrupt rule of pro-European parties, supported by the United States and EU, leader of the opposition Party of Socialists of Moldova Igor Dodon who controls the largest faction of 24 deputies in the 101 seat local parliament, told TASS in an interview on Wednesday.
"Moldova next year will face social upheaval the responsibility for which rests not with the opposition, which for the third month in a row has been staging peaceful protests demanding early elections and the transition to nationwide elections of the president. The main reason for it is the catastrophic situation in the economy, which was the result of incompetent and corrupt rule of pro-European parties," said Dodon, who until 2009 was deputy prime minister in charge of the economy. He accused the United States and the European Union of covering the oligarchic regime in Moldova "for geopolitical considerations and out of fear of new elections", which, judging by the polls will be won by the parties advocating for Moldova’s integration in the Eurasian space.
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The Ruling Coalition Split
The government of Liberal Democrat Valeriu Strelet stepped down under pressure from opposition parties supported by the Democratic Party of Moldova on October 29. It happened amidst mass opposition riots and a split in the ruling "Alliance for European Integration", which comprises the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (LDPM); the Democratic Party of Moldova (DPM); and the Liberal Party (LP). A fight for power among the former allies prevented them from forming the parliamentary majority and approving a new government for the past two months despite pressure from the United States and the European Union that urged the Moldovan authorities to go ahead with European integration and start a campaign against corruption.
Opposition leaders in Moldova have accused Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti of usurping power because of his inability to nominate a candidate for the prime minister’s post for 6 months. Marian Lupu, the leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, threatened President Timofti with impeachment if he nominated a candidate to the prime minister’s post without consultations with representatives of other parties in the Moldovan parliament. The presidential press service responded with a statement, which accused the democrats of exerting pressure on Timofti demanding he nominate businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc as candidate to the post of Moldova’s prime minister. The local media calls Plahotniuc "the grey cardinal of the Moldovan politics." President Timofti has asked western diplomats for support because of pressure exerted on him and his family.
Moldova has been shaken by anti-government protests for the past 3 months. The situation became worse after Moldova’s former prime minister, Vlad Filat, had been arrested on suspicion of corruption. Filat is the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova, which forms the nucleus of the pro-European coalition. Later, the parliament voted for the resignation of a government led by Liberal Democrat Valeriu Strelet.
The fall of the second cabinet over the past 6 months has led to a new collapse of the ruling Alliance for European Integration, which has been in power in Moldova for the past five years.