The constituent parties of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc protested on Sunday, August 17, in front of the Parliament, where a special session was held for the swearing-in ceremony of five constitutional judges. The protesters accused the ruling party of usurping power, reports IPN.

The former governor of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah, the president of the Heart of Moldova party, declared from the podium that, instead of being an independent and impartial institution, the Constitutional Court has been definitively transformed into a “branch” of the ruling party, and its judges into “pocket judges”.

The Patriotic Bloc has promised that it will “stop the lawlessness” and “return to the people” the Constitutional Court after the elections on September 28th.

The deputies of the Communist and Socialist Bloc displayed placards in the meeting room with messages stating that the Constitutional Court must be independent and belong to the people. While the judges were taking their oath from the central podium, the parliamentary opposition was chanting: “Shame!”, “Resign!”, “Usurpers!”.

The Constitutional Court has six members, appointed for a six-year term: two each by the Government, Parliament, and the Superior Council of Magistracy. The terms of five judges expired on August 16, and the new terms began with the swearing-in. Liuba Șova, Nicolae Roșca, and Domnica Manole have been constitutional judges before, while former Justice Minister and former PAS member, Sergiu Litvinenco, and judge Ion Malanciuc are serving their first term at the Constitutional Court.

The President of the Parliament, Igor Grosu, declared the special session closed immediately after the oath was taken, without any official statements in the plenary. In a statement to the press, he affirmed that the procedure for appointing judges complied with the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, which was also endorsed by the Venice Commission, and the designated candidates are professional, integral individuals with an impeccable reputation.