Moldovan justice minister says to tender resignation

Chisinau, 11 March /MOLDPRES/ - Justice Minister Alexandru Tanase has informed that he would tender resignation, after a phone call between him and Veaceslav Platon, who was convicted for bank fraud, was intercepted. ‘’I accepted the office of justice minister in order to promote reforms in the justice sector… I have not set to get involved in political activities for just a moment, so much the more I did not take over the portfolio of minister to become electoral target,’’ Tanase wrote on a social network, while on a visit abroad as delegation member.  

‘’It is in the spirit of the democratic values for any public office to be based, first of all, on public trust. When this trust is jeopardized, even if for reasons lacking pertinence, any initiative, no matter how good it is, will not yield the result expected. The personal interest cannot be put above the general interest. In this context, I have reached conclusion that the most suitable solution in the situation emerged is to tender resignation from the office of justice minister on the days to come, thus putting an end to my public career,’’ Tanase also said.    

The minister noted that it had been a true honour for him to be serve his people in the post of MP, cabinet member and constitutional judge for more than ten years. Tanase thanked Prime Minister Pavel Filip for the confidence provided and the colleagues ministers of the government for the nice cooperation, for the good of the people from Moldova.

Alexandru Tanase became justice minister on 10 January 2018, put forward by the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM).  

After the interception had been published, Alexandru Tanase wrote: ‘’I cannot be sure of the authenticity of this recording, as the discussion took place many years ago and I attached to it not so much importance. In reality, the content of the discussion, in the part concerning me, does not reveal anything interest, but the fact of the existence of the discussion itself.’’

PDM representatives said that the issue of resignation of the justice minister would be considered at a weekly meeting of the party, due on 13 March.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)