Communist MPs refuse to support statement against Russia

Communist MPs voted on Thursday February 15 against the creation of a committee which would draw up a statemnt of the Parliament of Moldova regarding the recent statements of the Russian Minister of Defence, according to which Russia has no plans in what concerns withdrawing its military troops from the territory of Moldova. MP Vitalia Pavlicenco asked at the sitting of the Parliament that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan presents information on the intentions of the ministry in this regard. In case the proposal will not be accepted, the MP asked the Parliament to create a Committee which would draw up a standpoint regarding the aforementioned issue, regardless of the fact if the wine exports to Russia will be resumed or not. The communist faction voted against this proposal. Minister Sergei Ivanov told a news conference in Seville, Spain, where he participated in the Russia-NATO Council meeting that Russia can not evacuate its troops from Transnistria. According to the Russian official the 1500 Russian militaries stationing in Moldova have 2 tasks, the first of which is the role of peacekeepers. Besides this, there are Soviet-era depots with munitions and armament that must be guarded.