Parliament rejects Communists' Customs Union proposal

With the vote of the MPs representing the ruling European Integration Alliance, Parliament has rejected a draft decision submitted by the Communist Party to hold a national referendum on Moldova's accession to the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union. In reaction, the Communists staged a walk-out, Info-Prim Neo reports The Communists accused the Alliance of pursuing narrow personal interests and of violating the law. Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu and Communist leader Vladimir Voronin accused each other's group of legal incompetence, with Voronin challenging in particular the expertise of Liberal Victor Popa, after the Legal Commission which he chairs passed an unfavorable decision with respect to the Communists' proposal a day earlier. The parliamentary majority also voted down the Communists' motion to sack Speaker Marian Lupu.