AMN will try to convince Cheptene to return

Serafim Urecheanu will continue to hold the post of First Deputy Speaker of Parliament even if the Moldova Noastra Alliance Party (AMN) remained without parliamentary group after Valentin Cheptene defected from the party, Head of Parliament Mihai Ghimpu said, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. Mihai Ghimpu told the journalists that Serafim Urecheanu was elected as First Deputy Speaker of Parliament by the Alliance for European Integration (AEI). “The AMN is an essential component of the Alliance and we should not forget about this. It is an internal problem of the AMN that they should deal with,” Mihai Ghimpu said. He also said that Valentin Cheptene's decision has not been discussed at the Alliance's meeting this morning. The leader of the AMN faction Vasile Balan said the fate of the party's parliamentary group will be decided in three days. He believes yet they will be able to convince Valentin Cheptene to return to the faction. Valentin Cheptene announced his decision to defect from the Moldova Noastra Alliance Party at the beginning of today's sitting of the Parliament. He said he will remain yet in the AEI. The MP will soon give a news conference to provide details.