PSD leader says Communists plan to steal his party's name

Dumitru Braghis, the president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), states that the recurrent waves of members leaving the party are part of a scheme devised by the Communists Party in concert with ex-PSD secretary Eduard Musuc, with the intention to destroy the group and take over its name, Info-Prim Neo reports. Dumitru Braghis told a news conference on Monday the recent departures from the party have been “orchestrated in Chisinau by the same political actors who had arranged the first wave of withdrawals”. Braghis underlined that individual members, and not primary entities of the party, left PSD. “Immediately after his removal from the party, Eduard Musuc held consultations with President Vladimir Voronin a few times”, Braghis said. “This is a plan to destroy the party and spoil its reputation. Let's not forget that the Communists are still under pressure to change their party's name. And they are interested in getting a name that would sound Social-Democratic”, he explained. Though lacking evidence, Braghis said he possessed information that such things had been discussed. The PSD leader also suggested Eduard Musuc could be behind the arrest of the PSD councilor Emil Gutu on suspicion of corruption. Bragish said he would reveal the 'whole story' but not until next week when Gutu's 20-day arrest warrant is due to expire. Eduard Musuc hasn't commented yet on the allegations. But Communist MP Mark Tkaciuk has told a news portal that his party “dislikes the names of the parties which cannot win parliamentary seats”.