Three municipal councilors announced today they were leaving the factions and parties which they had been affiliated with in the Chisinau City Council – Mihai Ciobanu defected the Our Moldova Alliance in favor of the Liberal Party, while Stefan Crudu and Vadim Cojusneanu left the Communist faction to become unaffiliated councilors. Whereas Mihai Ciobanu's announcement passed almost unnoticed, the decision of the former communist councilors sparked an argument. Stefan Crudu and Vadim Cojusneanu explained their decision on the disagreement with the actions and decisions of the Communist Party and the Communist faction in particular. “We will still work in the City Council, but as unaffiliated councilors”, said Crudu. Communist councilor Mihail Garev expressed his discontent about the defection of his former colleagues, demanding that they quit the Council so that their seats could be occupied by another members of the party. “You were elected on the Communist Party's list and are not entitled to any other mandate than a Communist one”, said Garev, “We demand that they vacate their seats in favor of other councilors”. The two councilors replied that they worked hard for their mandates, which brought them popular support.