Political Instability Follows Dismissal of Moldovan PM
On Thursday, nearly two-thirds of the Moldovan parliament issued a vote of no confidence, effectively dismissing Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet and his barely three-month-old government. This comes after the September revelation that nearly a billion dollars had fraudulently disappeared from Moldova’s banking system, leading to many calls for Strelet’s resignation, which he continuously refused. The vote of no confidence follows the October 15th arrest of former Prime Minister Vlad Filat on charges of taking $260 million dollars in bribes from banks. Strelet, a prominent defender of Filat, had endured many criticisms of involvement in corruption prior to his dismissal.
Strelet himself was already the second new Prime Minister Moldova has had this year, being appointed in July due to previous Prime Minister Chiril Garburici’s resignation after less than three months in office over a scandal accusing him of fraudulent educational credentials.
Prime Ministers Strelet, Filat, and Garburici are all members of the Liberal Democrat Party, which along with the Democratic Party makes up the Alliance for European Integration III, the current ruling coalition in the Moldovan government. However, the coalition could be in dire straits due to seemingly constant corruption charges and a European Union Association Agreement that led Russian to boycott some Moldovan agriculture, causing severe damage to the economy.
The corruption scandal has provided an opening to the pro-Russian Communist and Socialist parties to attack the current government and garner the support of Moldovan voters. Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, has an average monthly salary of $215. The disconnect between the struggles of everyday Moldovans and the extravagant corruption of the ruling class could be the catalyst for a victory for the pro-Russian bloc.
Regardless of the future political consequences, the Moldovan parliament is now under pressure to select a new candidate for Prime Minister to create a new government and restore political stability.