Democratic quartet form coalition, seek 'dialogue' with Communists

The four democratic parties which entered parliament – PLDM, PL, PDM, and AMN{*} – announced on Saturday they had formed a coalition titled “Alliance for European Integration”. The next stage, according to them, is to establish dialogue with the Communists Party, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Immediately after our partners return from vacation (Communist leader Vladimir Voronin will be on vacation until August 15 – editor's note), we'll enter into dialogue with them. There is no other way”, declared Marian Lupu, PDM president, at a news conference on Saturday, highlighting the importance of a “reasonable dialogue, in line with European political culture standards”. “We want dialogue with the PCRM, not negotiations”, stressed AMN leader Serafim Urecheanu, adding: “There will be no negotiations with them concerning sharing of positions”. “I think they will offer not only eight votes (which the coalition is short of in order to elect a president – editor's note), but forty-eight, because they love their fatherland more than we do, according to their electoral speeches”, said PL president Mihai Ghimpu. The newly formed coalition intends to achieve five major goals: restore the rule of law; overcome the socioeconomic crisis and foster economic development; decentralize the government and promote local autonomy; achieve Moldova's territorial reintegration; achieve Moldova's European integration and follow a balanced, consistent and responsible foreign policy. A joint government program built on the principles set out in the coalition declaration is to be presented shortly. The four leaders, however, failed to say when and how the power-sharing would take place or whom they would nominate for president, but said the election of a technocrat president was not an option. The PLDM, PL, PDM and AMN obtained in the recent legislative elections a combined number of 53 seats in the 101-seat Parliament. The coalition thus may elect a speaker and a prime minister with 51 votes, but not a president, which requires 61 votes at least. {(*Abbreviations used: PLDM – the Moldovan Liberal Democratic Party; PL – the Liberal Party; PDM – the Moldovan Democratic Party; AMN – the Our Moldova Alliance; and PCRM – the Moldovan Communists Party)}