Moldovan top court declares president's decree on nominating Ion Sturza for premier office constitutional

Chisinau, 29 December /MOLDPRES/ - The Constitutional Court (CC) today ruled that the decree by Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti on nominating Ion Sturza for the office of prime minister was constitutional.

"The Constitutional Court decided that the notification by a group of MPs on the control of constitutionality of the decree by Moldova's President Nicolae Timofti on nomination of a candidate for the post of prime minister is turned down as groundless. The Court also recognises the decree by the head of state on nomination of the candidate for the office of prime minister as constitutional," CC President Alexandru Tanase said.    

CC also ruled that "the power of the president to put forward the candidate for the office of prime minister represents a constitutional duty. To carry out his/her power to put up a candidate for the post of prime minister, the president of Moldova must ensure, by consulting the parliamentary factions, the support of both the parliamentary majority and a possible constructive cooperation of the opposition minority."

The Court's ruling also stipulates that, "if an absolute parliamentary majority has not been set up, the head of state has obligation, after consulting the parliamentary factions, to nominate a candidate for the the office of prime minister, even if the parliamentary factions do not agree with the president's proposal. In case a parliamentary majority was created, the president must nominate the candidate backed by the factions. At the same time, the consultation of parliamentary majority includes also the groups of unaffiliated lawmakers."

The decision is final, cannot be subject to any appeal, enters into force on the date of adoption and will be published in the Official Journal of Moldova.   

On 28 December, a group MPs submitted to the Constitutional Court a notification on control of constitutionality of the Moldovan president's decree on the nomination of candidate Ion Sturza for the office of prime minister and interpretation of the Article 98, paragraph 1, from Moldova's Constitution. 

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Raileanu)