A group of members of the People’s Force Party, headed by Nicolae Chirtoaca, defected from the party to the European People’s Party of Moldova (PPEM) that ex-Premier Iurie Leanca intends to register, IPN reports.

Ex-deputy chairman of the People’s Force Party Constantin Ciorba told a news conference that together with other party colleagues, he decided to join the new political project – the European People’s Party of Moldova – because they are concerned about the possible deviation by the government coalition formed by the Democratic Party and the Liberal Democratic Party from the path of European integration.

“We consider we should join together around a really pro-European force so as to stop the debauchery we witness in the country and we think that this force is the PPEM,” reads the statement issued by the former members of the People’s Force Party.

Besides Constantin Ciorba, the People’s Force Party remained without five members of the party’s Standing Political Bureau and the heads and deputy heads of the local organizations in Chisinau and Balti municipalities and in the districts Stefan Voda, Ocnita, Rascani, Glodeni, Telenesti, Leova, Hancesti, Ialoveni, Straseni, Cahul, Edinet, and Soroca. At least 4,000 members of the People’s Force Party decided to join the PPEM, said Constantin Ciorba.

The new members of the PPEM called upon all the progressive forces of Moldova to join the new project so as to make effort for things in the country to return to normality.