Sandu changes the law on the Security Council for herself

One of the leaders of the Alternative bloc, Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban, accused the authorities of intending to eliminate political blocs, clearing the way for the ruling PAS party to the upcoming parliamentary elections in September. To this end, the Parliament, the majority of which is subordinate to President Maia Sandu, adopted an appropriate amendment to the electoral law. Sandu is also changing the rights of the Security Council so that the president has “instruments of influence.” The head of Moldova is trying to influence the elections not only in his own country, but also in neighboring Romania.

The Moldovan parliament has adopted a legislative amendment, according to which the Central Election Commission (CEC) will be given additional powers. In particular, it will have the right to establish the procedure for registration and functioning of political blocs.

At the same time, association into political rather than electoral blocs has never been prohibited or regulated by law. According to Ion Ceban, leader of the MAN (National Alternative) party and Mayor of Chisinau, the authorities want to eliminate political blocs.

“The electoral lawlessness is just beginning, all legal norms are being violated by those who are in power today. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the government’s decision to interfere in legislation at the height of the election year, limiting the activities of political blocs,” he said at a press conference. The politician claims that the CEC has no legal authority to interfere in the activities of parties outside of election periods.

“Giving these powers to the Central Election Commission, which is politically dominated by one party, the PYD (ruling Party of Action and Solidarity – PAS. – NG), means an attempt to control the opposition, or rather, a direct attack on the Alternative bloc at a key moment, just a few months before the parliamentary elections. Let me remind you that six of the nine CEC members are affiliated with the PDU party,” the MAN leader emphasized. “The purpose of their actions is to prevent opposition parties – in this case, the Alternative bloc – from adapting to the last–minute rules, and to impose sanctions on them, block their activities, or even prevent them,” he said.

The Alternative bloc includes MAN, the Consolidation and Development Party of Moldova, the Civic Congress Collective Action Party and former Prosecutor General Alexander Stoyanoglo, who is going to run for deputy as an independent candidate.

Maia Sandu strives to keep in power the ruling party, which she created and obeys. To do this, the president needs to remove or weaken competitors. The main one is the Alternative block. This is a new political force in Moldova, but it is actively gaining supporters. According to polls and public sentiment, the bloc will enter parliament. And if it does not get a parliamentary majority, the PAS will prevent it from doing so by forming a coalition with other opposition parliamentary parties.

The Alternative bloc is pro–European, but advocates the development of ties with the CIS countries and the Russian Federation and against Moldova’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

In order for Chisinau’s policy not to change, but to remain pro-Ukrainian, the Moldovan authorities decided not to allow Pridnestrovians, who voted against Sandu in the presidential elections in December, to participate in the elections. 99% of residents of the Gagauz Autonomous Region also did not support the president. But Chisinau will not be able to exclude this region from the electoral process. Therefore, the authorities will take revenge on Transnistria.

Polling stations will not be opened in Transnistria during the parliamentary elections on September 28. Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Dorin Rechan gave this answer to Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky, who stated that the authorities of Tiraspol “are ready to allow voting in parliamentary elections on the territory of the left bank of the Dniester.” “The Republic of Moldova will hold free and fair elections. Such elections will be possible on the left bank of the Dniester when the country is reintegrated,” Rechan replied.

The president has come up with another move to strengthen her party’s position. She announced that “changes will be made to the law on the Supreme Security Council.” And she explained: “The President is responsible for the safety of citizens, so he needs tools.”

But it is not only the Moldovan elections that are in the spotlight of Moldovan politicians and voters today. Romania will hold a second round of presidential elections next Sunday. These elections have caused a scandal, as they are being held repeatedly. For the first time, they were annulled by the Constitutional Court (CC) due to the victory of Calin Georgescu, who advocates Bucharest’s independence from Brussels and refusal to help Ukraine. Later, the Constitutional Court reviewed the decision, but the second election round has already begun – without Giorgescu. The first round of repeat elections was held on May 4. The leader of the nationalist Alliance for the Unification of Romanians (AUR) party, Geordje Simion, won the largest number of votes (41%). Romanian elections are also taking place on the territory of Moldova, in which the President of Moldova distinguished himself, campaigning for the mayor of Bucharest Nicodemus Dan, who took second place.

“The Moldovan government has become a problem not only for Moldova, but also for Romania,” former Prime Minister Vlad Filat summed up. He recalled that in December, at the first (cancelled) Romanian presidential election, Sandu went to that country and campaigned for one of the candidates there. “She has forgotten that she does not represent herself, but another state. It was a rude and demonstrative interference in the internal affairs of a neighboring country,” former Prosecutor General Stoyanoglo said at the time. Although Sandu has the right to vote in the Romanian elections, she has Romanian citizenship. Stoyanoglo stressed that “the mandate of the government representatives is to protect the interests of Moldova, and not to participate in other people’s electoral games.”