Ruslan Codreanu was dismissed today as deputy mayor and interim general mayor of Chisinau by the vote of 36 out of 51 municipal councilors. Deputy mayor Nistor Grozavu was also fired at the same City Council meeting. The dismissal was proposed by Socialist and Liberal councilors as an additional item to the order of the day.
Liberal Ion Cebanu said the dismissal was needed in order to “restore the local administration to legality until the election of a new mayor, in accordance with the electoral law.” Ion Cebanu accused Ruslan Codreanu and Nistor Grozavu of serious abuses and mismanagement of municipal affairs which led to the proliferation of unauthorized constructions in the city, among other things.
Socialist Dinari Cojocari said the Socialist group offered Ruslan Codreanu to leave the office voluntarily because he had been appointed illegally. As Codreanu refused, he must be dismissed. “Ruslan Codreanu is a man that is desperately clinging to his office,” said Dinari Cojocari.
Our Party’s councilman Ilian Caşu said that Chisinau is “in a state of obvious degradation, and the citizens are waiting for these dismissals so things can start changing for the better.”
Communist Vasile Chirtoca said “it is time to make the decisions that have been awaited for years because the image of Chisinau has been degrading.”
Victor Chironda, a member of Iurie Leanca’s group that had proposed Codreanu for deputy mayor, said that what happened today in the City Council was “political retaliation”. Wrongdoings at the City Hall didn’t start with Codreanu, says Chironda, but have been around for years. “If the City Hall is to be rid of corruption, all the officials, including the councilors, must leave”.
City Council secretary Adrian Talmaci has been designated to act as caretaker mayor.
Ruslan Codreanu was appointed as interim mayor of Chisinau on 25 April 2018 after Silvia Radu took a leave of office as she ran for mayor.
Ruslan Codreanu announced he would comment on his dismissal at a press briefing later today.