AEI holds meeting over presidential decree

The leaders of the four-party Alliance for European Integration (AEI) met at 8:10am in an attempt to adopt a joint decision on the presidential decree issued by Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu declaring June 28 to be the Soviet Occupation Day, Info-Prim Neo reports. Democrat leader Marian Lupu stated before the meeting that his party's position on the June 28 commemorations remained unchanged: the Democrats would not participate in any event dedicated to the commemoration of the victims of the totalitarian communist regime. Lupu added that, according to legal experts, decisions concerning official holidays and commemoration days are the prerogative of Parliament rather than of the president. Moldova Noastra leader Serafim Urecheanu said his party's position would depend on whichever joint decision of the AEI. “It's not a big deal if a presidential decree is not observed”, said Urecheanu. Serafim Urecheanu went on to add that the AEI would not ask for Ghimpu's resignation or dismissal from the posts of Parliament Speaker and acting President, as the opposition Communist party suggested in a statement addressed to the Alliance members. “We will preserve the integrity of the AEI. No one is going to swallow Voronin's bait”. Liberal Mihai Ghimpu and Liberal-Democrat Vlad Filat refused to make public statements before the meeting. A group of Ghimpu's supporters have gathered outside the Parliament building encouraging him not to surrender, calling on other AEI members to stop asking for the revocation of the decree.