Filat says Lucinschi may be a good ambassador to Russia

Prime Minister Vlad Filat admitted that Liberal-Democratic MP Chiril Lucinschi may be a good ambassador of Moldova to Russia. “We did not discuss the possible candidacy of Chiril Lucinschi for the post of ambassador in Moscow. He does well as the head of the parliamentary commission on culture, education, sport and mass media, but can also cope with the post of Moldova’s ambassador to Russia,” Vlad Filat said in the program “Good evening” on Moldova 1 TV channel, Info-Prim Neo reports. Chiril Lucinschi confirmed that he heard rumors that he may be named ambassador to Russia and unofficially discussed this subject with colleagues, but he has not been yet summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. Speaker Marian Lupu, who heads the Democratic Party, told the press that they did not consider the possibility of fielding Chiril Lucinschi for this post within the alliance. A number of candidates are examined and the answer will be made public when a decision is taken. Moldova’s Ambassador in Moscow Andrei Neguta was recalled on April 25. The reasons haven’t been made known. Earlier, the diplomat was accused of saying in an interview that the withdrawal of the Russian troops from the Transnistrian region before term would endanger Moldova and the whole region. The Moldovan Foreign Affairs Ministry described the statements as regrettable and reiterated the necessity of pulling the Russian army out of the breakaway republic. Former Communist MP Andrei Neguta was named ambassador in Moscow in November 2008. In the May 28, 2009 elections, he was the Communist Party’s second alternative candidate for the presidency, but gained no vote.