The Speaker of Parliament or the Premier will temporarily hold the post of President in order to issue the decree to name two nominees for deputy prime minister and five nominees for minister whom President Igor Dodon refused to appoint in accordance with the law, the candidates being proposed by the Prime Minister for two times. The Constitutional Court (CC) on January 2 passed the judgment that justifies such a move, IPN reports.

Under the CC’s judgment, given that the Head of State refused for two times to name the candidates proposed by the Premier for deputy prime ministers and ministers, he is temporarily unable to exercise his duties and the post of President will be thus held on an interim basis by the Speaker of the Premier.

Presidential adviser Maxim Lebedinski said that by its judgment, the CC showed political affiliation and that it does not ensure the observance of the Constitution. Provisions of the Constitutional Jurisdiction Code were violated as these stipulate that such applications cannot be submitted by MPs. It is the Parliament that should notify the High Court by a decision signed by the Speaker. “The proposed candidates that were rejected are suspected of lacking integrity and of having been involved in the banking fraud,” said the adviser, explaining why the President refused to name the nominated Cabinet members.

According to Democratic MP Sergiu Sarbu, the President, signing the decrees to dismiss six members of the Cabinet and refusing to name other members, caused an institutional blockage and this makes the Government’s work impossible. The President’s refusal is unfounded and his arguments are also unsubstantiated. “We cannot further have a non-functional Government. As the Head of State accepted the resignation of some of the Cabinet members, he should have obeyed the Constitution and named new members of the Cabinet,” stated the MP.

According to Sergiu Sarbu, in several days the Speaker or the Premier will sign the decrees to name the new members of the Cabinet.

President Igor Dodon also reacted to the CC’s judgment. “The Constitutional Court became hostage to the own uninspired decisions and the precedents it set. It is evident to everyone that the CC members accepted to ‘play’ the game of the democratic government. Now the CC has to further take controversial decisions, to the limit of the law and beyond the limit of common sense. It was expected that the CC will repeat the political trick of October 17 last year, when the President was suspended for Sturza to be invested as minister of defense,” said Igor Dodon.

The Cabinet reshuffle was announced on December 19. Cristina Lesnic, Chiril Gaburici, Svetlana Cebotari, Liviu Volconovici, Tudor Ulianovschi, Alexandru Tanase and Iurie Leanca are to enter the Cabinet as ministers and deputy prime ministers. Iurie Leanca was proposed for the newly instituted post of deputy prime minister – for European integration.