Nieuwe verkiezingen dreigen in Moldavië (en)

Moldova risks early elections if its Parliament fails to elect a new President of the Republic, Prime Minister Vlad Filat told Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs on Tuesday. MEPs assured him of their support and some asked that substantial economic aid be released.

Mr Filat explained his fears that the ex-Soviet republic might have to hold new legislative elections if the four-party coalition that emerged from the July elections cannot muster the eight votes it needs in Parliament to elect a President of the Republic. The current coalition has 53 votes in Parliament, but needs 61 to elect a successor to former President Vladimir Voronin, who left office on 10 September 2009.

"Under our constitution, this election could not take place in 2009, because we have already had two elections this year" (on 5 April and 29 July), he said.

In the debate, several Romanian MEPs assured him of their backing for civil service, judicial and police reforms and for better protection of human rights.

Adrian Severin i (S&D, Ro) and Jelko Kacin i (ALDE, Sl) advocated releasing substantial economic aid  to help stabilise Moldova's democratic process.

Monica Luisa Macovei (EPP, RO), who chairs the EP delegation for relations with Moldova, stressed the need to give it a clear prospect of joining the EU, adding that this prospect could engender important changes there.

Press freedom

On the lack of press freedom, a core criticism of this year's two elections, Mr Filat stressed the need "to enforce the existing legislation, which is good, but has been catastrophically implemented", in a reply to Elena Basescu (EPP, RO).

Russian and Chinese loans

Mr Filat said he was still interested in a US$ 150 million loan from the Russian Federation, which could help plug the budget deficit.

But he was less definite about a Chinese loan, estimated by some at US$ 1 billion, saying in a reply to a question by Charles Tannock (ECR, UK), that there would apparently be no contract for building road infrastructure.