PAS divisions emerge over Victoria Belous’s candidacy
The nomination of Finance Minister Victoria Belous as the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) candidate for mayor of Chișinău has prompted unusually sharp criticism, including from figures associated with the governing party.
The choice has surprised some political observers, although others argue that Belous’s record in government makes the negative reaction predictable.
PAS MP Alexandru Cozer openly mocked the nomination in a Facebook post, suggesting that incumbent mayor Ion Ceban would be delighted with his prospective opponent.
“I think Ceban, when he saw the PAS candidate for mayor… literally jumped for joy in his wheelchair, even if the doctors don’t recommend it.”
Cozer, who said he does not normally subscribe to conspiracy theories, went further by suggesting that the governing party’s choice could inadvertently benefit Ceban.
“I’m not a supporter of conspiracy theories and never have been, but in this case it looks a little like what conspiracy theorists say is true — that Ion and PAS are mutually promoting each other.”
The MP expressed hope that a serious, professional and credible alternative would emerge before the Chișinău mayoral election. Otherwise, he warned, the capital would continue to suffer under what he described as Ceban’s disastrous administration.
His remarks are particularly striking because they come from within the governing party itself, rather than from the opposition.
Tax increases fuel criticism of Belous’s nomination
Journalist and public commentator Vitalie Călugăreanu, generally regarded as sympathetic to the governing party, was even more outspoken.
He questioned the political judgement behind nominating Belous shortly after a series of unpopular fiscal measures.
“Nominating the finance minister for mayor of Chișinău just months after increasing taxes and fees, introducing taxes affecting HoReCa and Temu, and announcing a threshold for a ‘double winter’ compared with last year means refusing to stop there, handing ‘Godfather Vanya’ another term and preparing him for the presidential election.”
Călugăreanu concluded with an equally sharp assessment of the party’s political calculations.
“I wonder how these political calculations work. You’ve lost touch with reality!”
Both critics expressed serious doubts about Belous’s prospects in the forthcoming mayoral contest. Their objections, however, extend beyond the question of whether she could defeat Ceban.
They also concern her performance as finance minister and whether her experience in government makes her a suitable candidate to manage the capital.
Online commentators have been similarly critical, accusing Belous of repeatedly moving between government positions without delivering tangible benefits to ordinary citizens.
“She jumps from one position to another, where she performs just one function: inventing excuses for why there is no money, why there won’t be any money, why the government needs money but the country’s citizens don’t, and so on. She is of no use to ordinary people. How can an entire city be entrusted to her?”
The criticism reflects broader frustration with the government’s financial policies, particularly its explanations for budget shortages and the introduction of additional taxes.
Unusual public dissent raises questions about PAS unity
The official PAS campaign headquarters has so far refrained from commenting on the criticism surrounding Belous’snomination. Public disagreements of this kind are relatively uncommon among governing-party representatives and journalists normally supportive of the authorities.
Critics have long accused PAS of maintaining strict internal discipline and discouraging dissent through political pressure and the possible loss of privileges for those who depart from the party line.
Against that background, the public remarks by Cozer and Călugăreanu are particularly notable. Both have questioned the nomination without waiting for the opposition to attack it.
The apparent PAS divisions over Victoria Belous suggest that the party’s choice for one of the country’s most politically important municipal positions is far from universally accepted, even among its usual supporters.
For a governing party hoping to challenge Ion Ceban in Chișinău, such open criticism of its own candidate is an uncomfortable start to the campaign.
