Head of state will not be elected at first round, analysts

It is highly improbable that the President of Moldova will be elected at the first round, considers political analyst Petru Bogatu. He said the stubbornness of the former head of state Vladimir Voronin will play a trick on him. “The Communist supporters do not understand why Marian Lupu (the candidate proposed by the Alliance for European Integration – e.n.) is not wanted as head of state. Moreover, the involvement of the society in a long election campaign and the changes that the new authorities will implement could make a part of those who voted for the Communists stop supporting the PCRM and back the PDM,” Petru Bogatu said, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. According to the analyst, there will be revealed a number of illegal schemes inside the PCRM. The Center for Combating Corruption and Economic Crime that will investigate high-level corruption cases will be restructured. “Many of the illegalities committed by the former government will come out before the early elections so that the image of the PCRM in elections will be worse,” Bogatu said. Political analyst Nicolae Negru also considers that the head of state will not be elected at the first round. According to him, the Communists permanently defied the law and illegally appointed and discharged staff. Vasile Tarlev’s dismissal from the post of Prime Minister by Voronin is a relevant example. Under the legislation, the Premier can be dismissed only the Parliament. The then Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar was also discharged illegally as he opposed the privatization of National Hotel, Nicolae Negru said. Immediately after Igor Dodon was named as Minister of Economy, the hotel was purchased by a phantom company, which had about 3,000 lei in its accounts. All these illegalities will become known and the voters will find out who the Communists that had governed the country during eight years and a half are, the analyst said. The first round of the vote to elect the head of state will take place on November 10. The leader of the Democratic Party Marian Lupu is the only candidate registered for the presidential race.