The chairman of the Democratic Party, Pavel Filip, has announced that the Democratic MP Constantin Botnari will resign this week. The PDM leader says that the parliamentarian will surrender his deputy mandate referring to a discussion he had with him. The announcement was made during "Secrets of power" show on Jurnal TV, IPN reports.

"I do not want to judge anyone. By the way, Constantin Botnari this week will give up his mandate. I had a discussion with him," said Pavel Filip.

Asked why among the PDM MPs there are still persons implicated in the banking fraud according to the Kroll Report, Pavel Filip has replied that he doesn’t want to be the judge of his party members. "My approach will be different - I want to change the foundation of this party. Those who will match this foundation, will continue to be part of the PDM, those who will not will leave on their own," stated Pavel Filip.

The PDM leader reiterated that currently things within the party are not influenced from the outside. "I see very well how things are going on inside the party and how decisions are taken. Decisions are not externally influenced. I don't receive messages; I don't send messages. I don't know, perhaps such intentions exist, but not to the extent that someone could influence the PDM”, maintained Pavel Filip.

Constantin Botnari is known for being on intimate terms with the former Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc, who secretly left the country after the party relinquished power. Botnari is also known for his nickname "borsetca"/ wallet, given that he was Plahotniuc's messenger in alleged cases of corruption of certain persons. One of the last public references to him showed that "he must return soon to Moldova from London." In the public space, it is rumored that Vladimir Plahotniuc continues to influence things in the PDM even after his departure.