Leading members of the three parties forming the ruling Alliance for European Integration (AEI) say that the controversy between the Democratic Party's president Marian Lupu and the Liberal-Democrat leader Vlad Filat is generated by the impossibility to elect the head of state. They stated at a TV show that a destabilizing factor in the relationship between the three parties is also the lack of tradition in running a coalition government, Info-Prim Neo reports. Dumitru Diacov, the honorary president of the Democratic Party, says that a reason for these differences are the subjects that were not clarified during the negotiations on the establishment of the governing alliance. “There are many elements besides the situation within the Alliance, like the passage of the Budget Bill, the agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the rising food prices and utility bills. And there is also a lack of political traditions in Moldova. However, things should be treated with more calm, and the people in the AEI factions should contribute to conciliation”, stated Dumitru Diacov. Lib-Dem vice president Alexandru Tanase said that there was no alternative for the AEI. The speculation that the Liberal-Democratic Party could form a coalition with the Communists is ungrounded and this option has never been discussed within the party. “The failure to elect the president generates certain elements of competition, of differences on various topical issues. We are also about to see local elections, which will be a competition as well”, added Tanase. Liberal Party vice president Ion Hadirca told the same televised show that whatever the difference, it should be settled within the Alliance. “Each component should realize that, besides the obligations towards the people, there are certain commitments made to our external partners, who expect a predictable course from us”. Ion Hadirca went on to add that the tensions among the AEI factions are also generated by some narrow personal interests and party priorities, “especially since the race preceding the local elections is about to start, and in such a race everyone runs separately”.