MP Ion Ceban today announced he was leaving the Communist Party and its group in Parliament to join the Socialists instead, Info-Prim Neo reports. He refrained from explaining his reasons or making other comments than: “this shouldn't be an occasion for those in the Alliance to celebrate”. Socialist leader Igor Dodon stated that he was waiting for other members of the Communist group to “show courage” and follow suit. Ion Ceban has become the seventh to leave the once 42-strong Communist group, after Igor Dodon left it together with Zinaida Greceanyi and Veronica Abramciuc in November 2011, followed by Vadim Mishin, Oleg Babenko and Tatiana Botnariuk in June 2012.