Moldova government seeks constitutional changes to break deadlock

Mar 10, 2010, 11:03 GMT

Chisinau - Moldova's ruling majority will seek constitutional changes and a national referendum to break the political deadlock in the former Soviet republic, the Infotag news agency reported Wednesday.

Parliamentary Speaker Mihai Gimpu, head of the ruling European Integration coalition in the legislature, announced the decision to Chisinau reporters after Tuesday meetings with representatives from the country's executive branch.

'We have come to the collective conclusion, that early parliamentary elections should not take place (but rather) parliament will prepare a bill for constitutional amendments ... which will be voted on nationally,' Gimpu said.

Twice last year, the Moldovan parliament attempted and failed to elect a new president. Under the country's current constitution, parliament is supposed to dissolve itself if the legislature cannot elect a president in two attempts.

Moldova's government has been deadlocked since the European Integration coalition came to power in late October because of Communist Party opposition in the legislature.

A national referendum allowing Moldovans to vote on constitutional amendments changing the means of selection of a Moldovan president, and reducing the ability of a parliamentary minority from halting legislation, is the best way to end the country's long-running political crisis, Gimpu said.

Prime Minister Vladimir Filat, also speaking at the press conference, said the constitutional changes would avoid politically sensitive issues, including the use of Russian as a official national language or Moldova's current constitutionally mandated unaligned international status.

'It (the referendum) will concentrate wholly on how the government is formed,' Filat said. 'It will not raise other questions.'

The referendum will be held by June 16, Gimpu said.

A constitutional amendment submitted to the public in a referendum must receive the support of more than 50 per cent of all registered voters to take effect.

Sefarim Urekian, senior ruling coalition spokesman, told Infotag European Integration legislators were considering two possible new ways of electing a president in the referendum: by a national popular vote, or by a simple parliamentary majority.

The Moldovan constitution currently requires the votes of 61 MPs in the country's 101-member legislature to select a president. The Communists, who control a quorum-denying 48 votes in parliament, have boycotted the ruling coalition attempts to push a presidential candidate through legislature.

The absence of an elected president has stymied ruling coalition efforts to implement reforms, as a president must sign bills passed by parliament for new laws to take effect.

A late July election returned a Communist Party majority to legislature sufficient to elect a president over the objections of the pro-Europe opposition, but mass protests against fraud forced a repeat poll.

New parliamentary elections in October pushed the pro-Russia Communists into opposition, with four pro-Europe parties joining to form the European Integration ruling coalition.