Chicu: “If Change in Government Is the Price to Pay for a Billion Theft Investigation, I Welcome That”

Prime Minister Ion Chicu believes that deputies’ withdrawal from the parliamentary majority is due to the progress of the Prosecutor General’s Office in investigating the theft of a billion. On June 17, on air of the Contrapunct program on Sputnik Moldova, the head of the Cabinet announced that he would continue to act as prime minister if a no confidence vote was filed to the government. “I saw the news that another deputy left the Democratic Party. It was expected that such dynamics would continue,” Chicu said. According to the Prime Minister, deputies’ withdrawal from the parliamentary majority is connected with the progress of the General Prosecutor's Office in investigating the theft of a billion. Chicu also said that he would continue to act as prime minister if a motion of no confidence was put forward to the government. “If a vote of no confidence is put forward, and 51 deputies will support this decision, the government will function as interim until the parliament approves a new one [...] It is difficult to say how things will develop with the formation of the new majority or restoration of the previous one,” Chicu said. The prime minister said that, the Cabinet “has many concerns” other than MPs’ withdrawal. In this context, Chicu reminded of possible floods due to rains. “It is clear that political destabilization will not help the cause ... But, if the cost of investigating the theft of a billion is a change of government, I welcome this,” the prime minister said. Recall, on June 17, the Democratic Party MP Efrosinia Gretu left the Democrats and joined the Pro Moldova group. Thus, the parliamentary coalition, consisting of the PDM and PSRM deputies, has now 50 deputies.