The chairman of the Liberal Party Mihai Ghimpu said that President Nicolae Timofti wasn’t pressed to nominate Vladimir Plahotniuc for the premiership and that it was actually the head of state who exerted pressure on Parliament so that this accepted candidate Ion Sturza. The issue was discussed in the talk show “In Depth” on PRO TV Chisinau channel, IPN reports.
“The President should say exactly who pressed him. He didn’t tell me about pressure. He only said that representatives of the Democratic Party came to him and proposed the candidate. The discussions do not mean pressure. Sturza was fielded in breach of the decisions of the Constitutional Court and of the parliamentary alliance. This is legal pressure,” stated Ghimpu.
The politician denied that Vlad Plahotniuc controls the state institutions, especially the judicial system. “It is the head of state who ultimately names the judges to posts, not Plahotniuc. But it’s known that Timofti was a friend of Vlad Filat,” he said.
The Liberals’ leader expressed his confidence that the current Government will do reforms. “I had serious discussions with Marian Lupu, Andrian Candu, Vladimir Plahotniuc. These assured that we will implement reforms. The PDM bears the greatest responsibility, but everything is decided at talks. The situation will improve. During the last six years, we didn’t face problems because of the PDM or Plahotniuc. Problems were caused only by Filat. Balitski hadn’t been yet removed from the post of chief of the Customs Service and the incomes already started to grow,” he noted.
Asked why he allowed a police officer suspected of committing illegalities in April 2009 to be named minister of the interior, Ghimpu said: “What? Jizdan was involved in the April 7 protests? We didn’t propose him. He then fulfilled orders, but now is a minister. We will see what he does as a minister,” he stated.
