Three Communists from the so-called ‘Tkachuk group’ [ex-MP Mark Tkachuk, MP Grigore Petrenco and MP Iurie Muntean] have demanded convocation of an extraordinary congress of the Moldovan Communist Party (MCP) and election of a new party leadership, Grigore Petrenco announced at a press briefing in Infotag on Wednesday.    

“With his own actions, Vladimir Voronin has aggravated the domestic situation in the MCP. He has gone to oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc and has burnt his bridges. He is now demanding that I must resign from parliament, too [like Mark Tkachuk did a month ago]. Voronin lies when he says that we have voluntarily resigned as members of the MCP Political Executive Committee. If this is true, ask Voronin to show our retirement applications. Such applications do not exist!” stated Grigore Petrenco.    

In his words, the recent Plenum of the MCP Central Committee, when the above-mentioned three members were withdrawn from the MCP Political Executive Committee “marked in fact a seizure of the Communist Party by oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc”.     

“Voronin has betrayed everybody, and has surrendered the Communist Party to Plahotniuc [First Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party] before an approaching parliamentary election. He has sold the party to “the puppeteer” – the one against whom we have struggled tirelessly all these last years. Voronin and the MCP will now be playing the role of the tame opposition on a short leash. Our opponents are already laughing at us, saying how ‘constructive’ and obedient the MCP has become”, said Petrenco.    

For an example, he referred to the Communist faction’s behavior at discussing the ratification of the Association Agreement with the European Union. The Communists did not take part in the parliamentary discussion then. They quitted the session room “not to vote against” ratification of the document. Petrenco believes it was “a gross political blunder” and “Voronin’s attempt “to sit on two chairs”.     

“This is a wrong behavior by the party leadership, “who must lead the MCP to election victory, not into Plahotniuc’s pocket. But the MCP will all the same win the elections, but without Voronin. We demand an extraordinary congress of the party and election of a new leadership. Voronin must admit his mistakes, repent of them and must go – without nominating his candidacy at the would-be election of a party chairperson”, stated Petrenko.         

He underlined that if only Voronin decides to stand again for MCP chairman, then voting at the party congress ought to be by secret ballot and necessarily on an alternative basis.    

Grigore Petrenco, who is a Deputy Chairperson of the Unified European Left group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, has stated readiness to run for the post of MCP Chairman.