Vlad Filat: There is sufficient reason to elect President in autumn

“This autumn we will elect the head of state. I think there is sufficient reason in the parliamentary parties for identifying a solution so that the President of Moldova is elected legally,” Prime Minister Vlad Filat, the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM), said in a program on Publika TV, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The Premier stated that his party does not want early elections, but will not vote for amending the Constitution by an organic law. “The PLDM will not vote for such laws. We will find a solution to elect the head of state by 61 votes. I do not want to believe that the ruling alliance is unable to field its own candidate. The problem is that the alliance’s current candidate cannot garner the necessary number of votes. Early elections would be a catastrophe for Moldova from all the viewpoints, both as regards the economic aspect and the European integration,” he said. Earlier, lawmakers representing all the components of the Alliance for European Integration filed an application to the Constitutional Court, asking that it pronounce on the possibility of electing the President by adopting an organic law to amend the Constitution so that the head of state is elected by the votes of 51 MPs, not 61 as the supreme law stipulates at present. The Court is to pass judgment on September 20. Vlad Filat said they have not yet had discussions to identity a legal solution for electing the head of state. “I made two attempts to communicate with Vladimir Voronin, which were followed by a reaction that I cannot understand. Thus, I allowed the person who wants to be head of state to ensure this communication,” he said. The leader of the PLDM voiced hope that the parliamentary opposition and the parties of the ruling alliance will reach a compromise as regards the candidate for the presidency. He said the PCRM’s decision to field Zinaida Greceanyi as a candidate for the post of head of state is right. “From Voronin’s viewpoint, the statements he made as party leader are absolutely normal and correct. He does not intend to serve one party or another. He pursues the goals of his party and aims to mobilize the members of the party. But this does not mean that we cannot initiate a dialogue that should be absolutely sincere,” said Vlad Filat.