PRESIDENT DODON UNLEASHED WAR AGAINST MOLDOVAN AUTHORITIES - PLAHOTNIUC

The executive coordinator of the ruling coalition in Moldova, Chairman of the Democratic Party Vlad Plahotniuc maintains that Moldovan President Igor Dodon has unleashed a war against the incumbent power and is trying to destabilize situation in the country and provoke a snap parliamentary election.

In an interview with the stiripesurse.ro portal of Romania, Dodon stated: "Now Dodon wants to unleash a possibly harder war against the Moldovan authorities that would lead to destabilization and to dissolution of parliament. That's why he is making all sorts of provocations - provoking even EU officials to make the European Union turn away from Moldova. As long as Dodon keeps enjoying high standings in opinion researches, he will be seeking scandals and political complications. In his efforts to maintain these high results, he is presenting himself to the public as a victim [of the ruling majority] in the hope to thus ensure a few more percent [or popularity rating]. Dodon is trying to block Moldova economically and to provoke a socio-political crisis. He cannot indeed feel happy seeing that the governing coalition has been stable presently".

In his words, the incumbent pro-European authorities committed certain mistake in the past. This has led to consolidation of the Left opposition and to Dodon's victory in the 2016 presidential election election. Plahotniuc believes that the Right opposition is now repeating same mistakes.

"Instead of struggling against Igor Dodon, the Right opposition are presenting valuable gifts to him, and he readily accepts them, deriving benefits. Such was the case with the request to the International Monetary Fund and the European Union to put off funding for Moldova. That's exactly what the Socialists want: to deprive our country of international support. This should cause a powerful social and then a political crisis, and citizens' mistrust in the European Union's support and good intentions. On such a basis, the Party of Socialists will win a snap or an ordinary parliamentary election", said the Democratic Party leader.

Plahotniuc believes that if President Dodon commits substantially serious mistakes and thus subjects the country's political stability to an inevitable danger, "then an impeachment is possible".

"However, such a decision has to be thoroughly thought. We must have undeniable evidence and data for citizens to show, and we need to have a real political unity on the Right political flank before deciding to go for such referendum. Otherwise, all efforts may only strengthen Dodon's positions", said Vlad Plahotniuc.

Answering journalists' questions, Plahotniuc said that the recent attempt to assassinate him might be linked with the investigation of the case of laundering Russian US$22 billion in a Moldovan bank. In his words, the progress in this investigation is worrying certain circles outside Moldova.

"I know the names of the people who ordered my assassination, and the reasons of it. But I am not going to hide. And I have never thought of my quitting politics. In the future, we shall never let anybody use the Moldovan banking system for laundering billions of dollars", stated Vlad Plahotniuc.