The Party of Socialists (PSRM) on January 18 submitted an application to the Constitutional Court by which they challenge the President’s decree to nominate Democrat Pavel Filip as a candidate for premiership. The Socialists consider the decree signed by President Nicolae Timofti is anti-constitutional, IPN reports.

The leader of the PSRM Igor Dodon told the journalists that they asked the Court to pronounce on the constitutionality of the decree by which the candidate is proposed for Prime Minster. First of all, the decree was signed on January 15, but was to be signed by January 14 because the legislation provides that the candidate has 15 days to present the government program and his team in Parliament.

Secondly, the parliamentary coalition was formed illegally as the legislation allows creating a majority in Parliament out of parliamentary groups. The coalition formed now consists of only two groups – of the PDM and PL – while the other members represent half-groups.

Thirdly, the January 4 attempt to invest the Sturza Government must be repeated because Parliament didn’t convene to vote on the investiture. Earlier, the Socialists asked the Court to pronounce on this issue too.

The Socialists requested that until the Court passes its decision on the constitutionality of the decree, its legal effects should be stopped so as to prevent an attempt to vote in the Government overnight.

The decree to nominate Pavel Filip for premiership was signed on January 15 after the candidate proposed one day earlier, Ion Paduraru, withdrew for the reason that the parliamentary majority designated another candidate instead of Vlad Plahotniuc.