The Liberal-Democratic Party (PLDM) said its president Vlad Filat won’t be able to run for president, accusing the current government of “blocking” the execution of a 2023 judgment handed down by the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the former prime minister.

“It is with regret and deep concern, the [Liberal-Democratic convention] notes the increasingly pronounced democratic backsliding by the current government led by Maia Sandu. In particular, it [...] stressed that the government has blocked the execution of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgment regarding PLDM president Vlad Filat, thus making it impossible for him to participate in presidential race”, the party said in a statement.

Arrested in October 2015, Filat was convicted on corruption charges in June 2016 in a controversial trial mostly held behind closed doors. While sentenced to nine years in prison, Filat was released already in December 2019 under a commutation mechanism compensating inmates for poor prison conditions. In 2023 the ECHR found that Filat had been denied fair trial, which the former prime minister insists exonerates him completely.

As for the constitutional referendum on European integration, the PLDM said it endorses the “yes” campaign, all the while accusing Sandu of exploiting the referendum as a re-election tactic.