Political crisis could be solved in Parliament

The leaders of the parliamentary groups decided to try and modify article 78 of the Constitution in Parliament. A commission that will be set up at the March 25 sitting of the legislative body will consider the possibilities of modifying the article, Info-Prim Neo reports. On Monday, March 22, Head of Parliament Mihai Ghimpu convoked the leaders of the parliamentary groups, except the Communist, at a meeting. “We agreed that every group will delegate representatives on the commission at the plenary sitting,” Ghimpu said. At the same time, Mihai Ghimpu and the leader of the Democratic Party Marian Lupu said the constitutional referendum continues to be regarded as a possible solution to the crisis. The political leaders have yet different positions on the procedure for electing the head of state described in article 78. The PDM, PLDM and AMN want the head of state to be elected directly by the people, while the PL insists that the method should be chosen by referendum. In Parliament, article 78 can be modified only in autumn as the bill must be approved by the Constitutional Court first. The legislative body can examine it six months later. On March 19, the PCRM made an appeal to the leaders of the parliamentary groups, inviting them to modify article 78 together. In the appeal, the Communist leader says the parties represented in Parliament should reach a compromise over the dates when the Parliament will be dissolved and when early legislative elections will take place by March 31. The legislative initiative on the modification of article 78 of the Constitution, concerning the procedure for electing the head of state, should be submitted by April 2. The five parliamentary groups should appeal to the Constitutional Court and ask it to pronounce on the opportunity of examining this initiative by May 20. In response, the leaders of the Alliance for European Integration said they do not believe in Vladimir Voronin's sincerity.