President Maia Sandu said her suspension from office is at the discretion of Parliament, but if a referendum on her dismissal is held, she will not be afraid to appear before the people for judgment. She also said that a decision as to the nomination of Mariana Durleșteanu for premiership will be taken after the Constitutional Court passes its judgment on February 23, IPN reports.

Under the law, the procedure for suspending the President from office is initiated by Parliament by the votes of 2/3 of the MPs. A national referendum is held later. President Maia Sandu said she is not afraid of this democratic exercise.

“According to both of the scenarios, we will appear before the people – either at snap elections or at a referendum. I’m not afraid of the people. Given their opposition to snap elections, it seems that they are afraid of the people. The impeachment leads to a referendum and the snap elections also lead there. Those from Parliament should decide what they think it’s better,” Maia Sandu stated in the talk show “Shadow Cabinet” on Jurnal TV channel.

She noted that her subsequent steps aimed at overcoming the political crisis will be determined by the Constitutional Court’s judgment of February 23.

“We are not short of candidates. We lack a parliamentary majority consisting of honest people who are not controlled by mafia groups and who would vote in and support a government of the people. I took a decision and announced it and we are now patiently waiting for the Constitutional Court’s decision,” stated President Sandu.  

According to polls, if snap parliamentary elections are held, the Party of Socialists, the Party of Action and Solidary and Our Party would enter the next legislature. Maia Sandu said the elections should not depend on the results of polls.

“I know that in Parliament we do not have a majority of honest people. We have all kinds of groups consisting of turncoats, people involved in grand corruption schemes. This institution cannot generate a majority that would support the Government. The longer is this agony, the worse for the country,” said Maia Sandu.

On February 11, the candidate nominated as Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița didn’t obtain any vote in Parliament, the first attempt to vote in the Government failing. President Maia Sandu nominated Gavrilița again for premiership and the nomination decree was challenged by the Socialist MPs in the Constitutional Court.