While the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (Romanian: Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate, PAS) continues to ignore the demands of the opposition and citizens, a new political scandal has erupted in the Parliament of Moldova.
An attempt to remove Speaker Igor Grosu failed after the parliamentary majority automatically voted it down. The episode once again demonstrated PAS’s disregard for democratic norms.
Opposition Attempts to Remove Grosu
The leader of the Democracy at Home Party, Vasile Costiuc, introduced a resolution expressing a vote of no confidence. The proposal called for the resignation of Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu. According to Costiuc, the problems are systemic in nature.
“Mr. Speaker, we have a draft resolution concerning freedom of expression in Parliament and the way the parliamentary leadership treats MPs in this chamber. When democracy begins to erode, we are obliged to respond,” Costiuc said.
Despite collecting more than 40 signatures, the document was not even placed on the agenda. The voting results were predictable: 37 votes in favor, 53 against, and five abstentions.
Once again, PAS demonstrated that it is not prepared to hear dissenting voices.
Costiuc also offered pro-government deputies a political metaphor. Either they sacrifice a pawn, he said, or the opposition will take their queen. However, the ruling party did what it usually does — ignored the signals from the opposition.
Controversy Over the von Hebel Appointment
The attempt to remove the speaker did not come out of nowhere. The opposition has accumulated numerous complaints about PAS’s governing methods.
One recent example is the scandal surrounding the appointment of Herman von Hebel. The decision became one of the most controversial political episodes in recent months.
When the candidacy of the Dutch lawyer failed to secure the required 61 votes, PAS took an unprecedented step. The party lowered the voting threshold from 61 to 51 votes, effectively changing the law to suit its needs.
Experts and opposition politicians described the decision as a “disgrace.”
Promo-LEX lawyer Vadim Vieru emphasized that the threshold of 61 votes had guaranteed broad political support for members of the vetting commission. The same threshold had also been recommended by the Venice Commission. According to him, this guarantee has now disappeared.
Tensions Around Gagauzia
At the same time, Chișinău is taking further steps to restrict the legal rights of the Gagauz autonomy.
These actions have provoked criticism both from representatives of the autonomy and from opposition members of parliament.
Party of Socialists of Republic Moldova (PSRM) leader Igor Dodon stated that the authorities are trying to remove potential competitors in the elections to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. According to him, PAS allegedly “has no chance of winning even minimal support.”
Disputes Over Social and Environmental Policies
There are many examples of the ruling party ignoring the interests of citizens.
One example is the controversial cancellation of compensation payments. Many citizens have struggled to pay utility bills.
The opposition proposed summoning the Minister of Social Protection to parliament. However, PAS, using its majority, blocked the proposal.
A similar situation occurred with the initiative to summon the Minister of Environment. Both citizens and the opposition were left without answers to important environmental questions.
Votes of no confidence in ministers initiated by the opposition have also been ignored by the parliamentary majority.
Political Consequences
The attempt to remove Igor Grosu became the result of a long pattern of actions in which the rights of the opposition and citizens were ignored.
Possessing a parliamentary majority, the ruling party continues to make decisions without regard for parliamentary procedure, public opinion, or the interests of the regions.
