PRESIDENT DODON STANDS AGAINST SNAP ELECTION, BUT SAYS IT WILL BE INEVITABLE IF GOVERNMENT IS DISMISSED

Moldova President Igor Dodon stands resolutely against an early parliamentary election, but realizes it will be inevitable in case the Government of Ion Chicu is dismissed, the head of state said in his interview with Radio Free Europe.

“I think that the incumbent Government has all chances to work until the end of its mandate i.e. until the next ordinary parliamentary election in 2023. There are very strong chances that everything will be exactly so. I am against snap elections and I believe there will be no such polls. But should the Chicu Government’s resignation happen, an early election will become inevitable, and it may be held simultaneously with the presidential election”, said the President.

“I want to underline that if some forces choose the way of dismissing the Chicu Government, there shall be a snap election. There is no other formula. I don’t think it is possible to find another compromise. And I don’t believe that Maia Sandu is interested to hold negotiations with Ilan Shor or anybody from the Democratic Party to form a new government together with them. But I insist: under the incumbent Parliament, there shall be only Chicu Government, or a snap election. The Socialists are ready for such an election”, stated President Dodon, known to be the Party of Socialists’ informal leader.

He said that last week he had held a meeting with the parliamentary Socialist faction to discuss the current political situation.

“I should say one thing: the influence of [fugitive oligarch] Vlad Plahotniuc on the Democratic Party has considerably weakened. May be he is still able to influence on 2-3-4 DPM deputies, but not more. The rest Democrats realize they must reform their party. They are determined to change the state of affairs. They realize that the DPM’s image has strongly suffered, and so they are working to change this situation. It’s up to them to decide concerning supporting the Chicu Government or going for a snap election. It is obvious that there shall be no other Government under the incumbent Parliament”, stated President Dodon.