Victor Stepaniuc quits as MP

The Parliament on February 15 took cognizance of the resignation of the Communist MP Victor Stepaniuc, who was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, and announced an MP seat vacant, Info-Prim Neo reports. Dumitru Diacov said that Stepaniuc had worked for many years in the Parliament and it is rather difficult to imagine how the legislative will work without him. He asked Stepaniuc if he took up the new job and wrote the resignation of his own accord. Zoia Jalba told him to “leave the national education in peace” while in the new post. Victor Stepaniuc thanked his colleagues and said that he will continue cooperating with all the legislators and the political parties that the population trusts. He also said that he did not fully abandon the political arena and is open for the cooperation that will improve the life of the people. Deputy Speaker Maria Postoico wished him to be in the Government as bright as in the Parliament. Victor Stepaniuc was named Deputy Prime Minister on January 16, 2008. He is one of the ideologists of the Communist Party of Moldova (PCRM). He had been MP from 1996. During 2001-2005, he was leader of the parliamentary group of PCRM. In the present legislature, he was chairman of the commission for culture, science, education, sports and mass media. The next PCRM candidate for MP on the list is Oleg Turea, the former deputy mayor of Rascani town.