Moldovan Liberal Democrats say switch to opposition

Chisinau, 16 January /MOLDPRES/ - The Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) will switch to the opposition and will not back the candidacy of Pavel Filip for the office of prime minister. The PLDM acting leader, Valeriu Strelet, made statements to this effect after the formation's National political Council (CNP) today. 

According to Strelet, PLDM condemns the ways the present parliamentary majority was set up. "At the meeting, I asked the seven MPs, who signed for putting forward Mr Pavel Filip for the office of prime minister, to withdraw their signatures; otherwise, they will no longer be party members. At the same time, we ruled that PLDM declares itself opposition parliamentary party," Strelet said. 

"CNP of the Liberal Democrats decided to organise the formation's seventh congress, due on 20 March 2016. Meanwhile, the party will go through a deep process of assessment of the domestic situation and promotion of principles of internal lustration and non-acceptance of persons having problems with the justice in the party," Strelet added. 

On 15 January, President Nicolae Timofti nominated acting Information Technology and Communications Minister Pavel Filip as candidate for the office of prime minister. 

Under the Constitution, the prime minister-designate has at his disposal 15 days to ask for the parliament's vote of confidence on the government action programme and the entire list of the cabinet. 

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor F. Galaico)