After the first round of consultations, the President said he wasn’t ready to put forward a candidate for the post of Prime Minister. “All the factions agreed that the pro-European course should be continued and that we should make everything possible to avoid early elections. The participants stated that good work is done in the 3+3+3 format, which is by three representatives from the three parties,” Nicolae Timofti said on March 20 after discussing with representatives of the PLDM, PL and PDM, IPN reports. 

The head of the Liberal-Democratic group Valeriu Strelet told the press that it is probably not the last round of consultations and more discussions will be held on the President’s initiative. “We discussed the procedure for designating the candidate for premiership. It was a good and useful discussion and not the last. We stated our opinion based on the analysis of the political situation and on the conditions that led to the passing of the censure motion on March 5. It’s now not the right moment to make public names,” he stated.

The Liberal Party’s deputy head Corina Fusu said the PL wants the European course to be continued and a new, credible Alliance for European Integration to be formed. The party will not vote for Vlad Filat as Prime Minister, but hasn’t proposed another candidate either.

The leader of the Democratic Party Marian Lupu said the negotiations must be continued in the 3+3+3 format. “We must identify not only a candidate for premiership, but also persons for the posts of ministers. Our task is to make changes to the executive functioning system,” he stated, adding that the nomination of a candidate for the post of Prime Minister will represent the last stage of the negotiations.

Marian Lupu avoided saying if the PDM will support Vlad Filat’s candidacy for premiership, but said that the party will propose a candidate itself.