CHISINAU, June 19. /TASS/. Moldova's Constitutional Court has upheld the government's request to ban the activity of the opposition Shor Party, Court Chairman Nicolae Rosca said on Monday.
"The Shor Party is hereby declared illegal; its deputies will retain their mandates in parliament, but the [parliamentary] faction will be disbanded. They will act as independents and will not be entitled to join other factions," Rosca said, according to the court's press service
The Constitutional Court’s decision gives the current government in Chisinau, which was formed by the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, the opportunity to request that the Shor Party be banned entirely from the parliament, in which the ruling party holds a majority of seats.
Shor Party Vice Chairperson Marina Tauber slammed the decision of Moldova's Constitutional Court as a dangerous precedent.
"This is a dangerous precedent. From this day forward, many more parties will be shut down. It is enough simply to be against President Maia Sandu. We will remain the Shor Party, even if they take away our seal [for officially approving legal documents]. Our team will remain strong. We have many formulas for how to continue our struggle," Tauber said at a briefing following the announcement of the court ruling.
Shor Party supporters protesting outside the courthouse greeted the decision by chanting anti-government slogans.