Journalist Ludmila Belcencova has urged opposition politicians not to attend consultations called by President Maia Sandu over the appointment of a new prime minister.
She argued that participation in the prime minister consultations would lend legitimacy to the current authorities at a time when opposition parties should instead be pressing for snap elections.
Prime minister consultations divide the opposition
“PAS members or whatever remains of them in the near future will now try to solve the problem through cosmetic repairs,” Belcencova said. “That is because they still understand nothing about the country, its people or the period now beginning for Moldova.”
She said the authorities’ intentions were already clear, but questioned whether the opposition was genuinely prepared to seek early elections.
“Everything is already clear with this government. It will survive however it can, using every means available to it and some that are not. What remains unclear is the opposition and how serious it is about snap elections,” Belcencova said. “It is one thing to write fine words about fighting the ‘yellow camp’ and another to take concrete action. They must finally understand that later saying your ‘development partners’ asked you to do it will not excuse you.”
She added: “Do not legitimise this government through negotiations that nobody needs. Take a firm and honest position if, of course, you genuinely intend to fight.”
Not all opposition parties appear willing to follow that appeal. Representatives of four political groups (the Socialists, the Communists, the National Alternative Movement (MAN) and the Development Party) have announced that they will not attend President Sandu’s consultations, describing the process as meaningless.
However, Vasile Costiuc’s Democracy at Home party said it would participate “out of respect for the institution of the presidency”. Renato Usatîi’s Our Party has yet to announce its position.
Ceban says election winners should form the government
MAN leader Ion Ceban said in a video address that his party would formally nominate Igor Grosu for the post of prime minister and would not participate in what he called “fictitious consultations”.
“The party that won the elections should take responsibility, as happens in every country,” Ceban claimed. “It should stop looking for technocrats whom it can turn into scapegoats for what PAS is doing.”
He added: “Igor Grosu for prime minister. Dear citizens, I do not know how else to explain this. In every country where a party wins an election, even if it does not win outright but holds a parliamentary majority, the leader of that party forms the government. That is how it works.”
His comments placed responsibility for forming the next Government of Moldova firmly on PAS, which controls the parliamentary majority.
Socialists dismiss talks as a hypocritical exercise
The Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) also said it would boycott the consultations, calling them a formality and an attempt to create the appearance that constitutional procedures were being followed.
“The PSRM refuses to take part in this hypocritical game of governing the country,” the party said in a statement. “PAS has an absolute monopoly over state institutions and controls the parliamentary majority. Let them choose a new prime minister themselves, if they can find someone, either naive or excessively ambitious, who is willing to become the regime’s next victim.”
The Socialists also claimed that citizens had lost confidence in the PAS Government and were demanding snap elections.
“People want early elections to escape poverty, corruption, inflation, exorbitant prices, fear, telephone fraud and disorder in public life,” the statement declared. “Only snap elections can bring genuine change to the country.”
The party said it was prepared to assume responsibility after an early vote and nominate its own candidate for prime minister, backed by what it described as a professional team and a realistic programme for resolving the country’s problems.
Tarlev says personnel changes will not solve the crisis
Former Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, who led the Government of Moldova from 2001 to 2008, said the resignation of Alexandru Munteanu was the predictable outcome of a government that had failed to provide stability, development or public confidence.
“The prime minister himself explained his decision by saying that he could no longer fulfil his mandate ‘in accordance with his principles and convictions’,” Tarlev wrote. “That admission deserves attention. But citizens have a legitimate question: what exactly led the head of government to reach that conclusion just eight months after his appointment?”
Tarlev said that during this relatively short period, the country had become embroiled in a series of controversies. He cited disputed tax initiatives, disputes over salaries and bonuses for the heads of state-owned enterprises, and the latest developments involving MoldATSA.
“I had the opportunity to lead the Government of Moldova from 2001 to 2008,” he said. “During that time, there were many challenges: economic crises, external pressure and difficult political processes, but the central principles always remained responsibility towards the people, a professional team and the ability to make effective decisions that strengthened the economy rather than undermined confidence in the state.”
According to Tarlev, Moldova does not need another change of personnel designed merely to preserve those in power. He called instead for a fundamental change in the approach to public administration, greater transparency and an economic policy focused on developing the national economy and supporting domestic producers.
Opposition remains divided over Sandu talks
The response to Belcencova’s call has highlighted continuing divisions within the opposition. The Socialists, Communists, MAN and several other parties plan to boycott the prime minister consultations, while Democracy at Home intends to attend. Our Party, led by Renato Usatîi, has not yet made its decision public.
The central question is whether President Sandu will be able to secure the formation of a new government or whether Moldova is moving towards snap elections. The Socialists and several other opposition groups claim that a significant part of society supports an early vote. The coming political decisions will show whether opposition parties are prepared to act together or remain divided despite their shared criticism of PAS.
