CHISINAU, September 29. /TASS/. Impeachment proceedings against President Maia Sandu, the first ever in Moldova’s history, is a signal that she will be held accountable after resignation, leader of Moldova’s largest opposition Party of Socialists and the country’s former President Igor Dodon said.
"Impeachment proceedings against a president have never been initiated before in our country, and the fact that all opposition parties in parliament have rallied to impeach Maia Sandu sends a strong signal that, following her resignation, she will be held accountable for the violations of the law she committed," he told TASS.
He recalled that Moldova’s Constitutional Court had previously established a mechanism for removing the country’s president from office, which stipulates that such a motion may be proposed by at least one-third of parliament members (at least 34 out of 101 votes).
"The grounds cited were violations of the constitution and the country’s laws by the head of state. The document, which was supported by 46 lawmakers representing all opposition parliamentary parties, cites the usurpation of power, violations of the principle of separation of powers, the undermining of sovereignty, participation in election campaigns, violations of fundamental human rights, and other crimes. In particular, the document cites Sandu’s repeated statements that she supports the dissolution of the Moldovan state and its unification with Romania, excluding the territory of unrecognized Transnistria, which is unacceptable for the guarantor of statehood. Evidence is also presented of illicit enrichment and corruption on the part of the head of state’s associates and relatives," Dodon stated.
Under the country’s constitution, a proposal to remove the president from office may be put forward by at least one-third of lawmakers, while two-thirds, or 67 votes, are required to remove the president from office. If parliament supports the move, a nationwide referendum on the president’s resignation is to be held within 30 days. The president is considered to have been ultimately removed from office if a majority of participants in the referendum vote in favor of this, provided that this majority is not smaller than the number of those who voted for the president during the election.
Bearing in mind the fact that the ruling party controls the majority of seats in parliament, the idea of impeachment looks practically unimplementable, but, according to observers, it will undoubtedly have serious consequences for Sandu and her party in the future.