Local Administration Ministry challenges Chernev's election as Gagauz speaker for incompatibility reasons

The Ministry of Local Public Administration (MAPL) challenges the election of Sergey Chernev, representing Ravnopravie Movement, as chairman of the Gagauz People's Assembly because 12 out of 18 deputies who voted for him are incompatible with the office of lawmaker, holding simultaneously posts of mayors, advisers and executive functionaries. Deputy Local Administration Minister Sergiu Tatarov told a Parliament sitting on June 26 that the Ministry reported the incompatibility to Prosecutor General's Office, and if the deputies in question fail to relinquish one of the incompatible posts within 30 days, the Ministry will take legal action in an administrative court. The Deputy Minister went on to declare that Demian Caraseni was lawfully elected to the office on June 12 with a majority of 18 votes. Yet Chernev's supporters will seek redress in the Chisinau Court of Appeals in a bid to reverse a previous ruling that invalidated Chernev's election. Asked by Communist MP Irina Vlah whether Gagauz Governor Mikhail Formuzal abused his authority, involving himself in the activity of the autonomy's legislature, Sergiu Tatarov stated that “the governor participated actively in the meetings of the Assembly. So, whether willing or not, he influenced the activity of the legislative body”. The counting commission dismissed three ballots in Caraseni's favor as spoilt, leaving him short of votes for a valid election. The Gagauz Assembly is composed of 21 independent members, 10 deputies representing the Communist Party and by two representing the Democratic Party and the Ravnopravie Movement.