Constitutional Court to rule if Vladimir Voronin can hold office as President for third term
- 03.08.2010 10:51
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- 2 minute(s)
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The Constitutional Court will decide today, August 3, whether the former President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin can run for the post of head of state after holding office for two consecutive terms. The head of the parliamentary commission for appointments and immunities Ion Plesca requested the Court to interpret Article 80 of the Constitution on the presidential terms, Info-Prim Neo reports.
Ion Plesca argued that a person who held the post of President for two consecutive terms can no more run for the post even if it fell vacant and the Head of Parliament or the Premier hold it on an interim basis.
“I consider that a term in office is when the candidate for the presidency ran in elections, was elected by Parliament and was sworn in. When the post is held on an interim basis, this is not a full term in office,” Ion Plesca said.
The Presidential Office’s representative to the Constitutional Court Mariana Secareanu said “two consecutive terms” means that the person who held the post for two consecutive terms cannot apply for the third term.
The head of the Parliament’s law division Ion Creanga reiterated that the person who held office as President for two terms cannot run for the same post anymore.
The Government’s representative to the Court, Deputy Minister of Justice Gheorghe Susarenco said the position of the executive coincides with those of the Parliament and the Presidential Office. “When the Speaker or the Prime Minister hold the post of President on an interim basis, they ensure the continuity of power in the state and this cannot be regarded as a term in office,” he said.
The application to the court was filed following statements made by Communist lawmakers, who said the former head of state Vladimir Voronin could run for a new term in office as the post held by Mihai Ghimpu on an interim basis represents an interruption between the second and a possible third term.
Ion Plesca said he sought help from the Court in order to avoid the misinterpretations of the Constitution in the election campaign for the possible presidential elections.
