"Parliament Was Aware of the Consequences." Sandu Explained to the Constitutional Court the Need to Dissolve the Parliament

At the meeting of the Constitutional Court (CC), President Maia Sandu presented her arguments in favor of the dissolution of parliament and noted that in her attempts to form a government she followed the Constitutional provisions and the CC practice. At a meeting on April 15, the Constitutional Court is considering an appeal by President Maia Sandu, in which she asks the Constitutional Court to state the circumstances that allow the parliament to be dissolved. Sandu presented her position to the Constitutional Court, noting that the object of her request is important for the country and citizens. She set out the history of events, in chronological order, since the resignation of Ion Chicu as prime minister last November. Sandu recalled the attempts to approve the Gavrilita government, consultations with parliamentary factions and the nomination of Igor Grosu, after the parliamentary majority candidate Mariana Durlesteanu withdrew her candidacy. The President emphasized that on March 25, 2021, although the consideration of the Grosu government's program was on the agenda, there was no quorum at the parliamentary meeting, since the PSRM and Pentru Moldova did not attend the meeting, and the Speaker of the Parliament said that this was tantamount to a vote of no confidence in the government. Sandu then organized consultations on the dissolution of parliament. She recalled that the Constitution provides for two scenarios for the dissolution of parliament: in case of impossibility of forming a government or blocking the adoption of laws within three months or if the parliament did not express a vote of confidence in the government within 45 days after the proposal was submitted, and only after the proposal was rejected at least twice. "The Constitutional Court has repeatedly expressed its opinion on this matter and noted that the three-month period is counted from the date of occurrence of the circumstances that led to the need to form a new government. The period of 45 days is included in the three months provided by law. The president is obliged to dissolve the parliament if the three-month period has expired," Sandu said. She referred to one of the previous decisions of the Constitutional Court, in which the judges explained why it is necessary to dissolve the parliament if the government cannot be approved for three months, arguing that the president's ability to dissolve the parliament is a guarantee of the ability to resolve and overcome the constitutional crisis or conflict between the branches of government. Sandu stressed that 45 days and the second attempt to approve the government expired on March 25. And this is the basis for the dissolution of parliament. "Parliament itself took responsibility and realized the consequences of not approving the government. I consulted and discussed with the factions the reasons for the dissolution of parliament. I emphasize that we are talking about this today because Ion Chicu resigned according to the PSRM's political decision," the President said and added that in her decisions she always followed the provisions of the Constitution. She noted that she can elaborate much on "how the current parliament adopts laws without financial support, how parliament has blocked external aid, talk about political party-switchers and how they passed a law on a mixed electoral system that is contrary to the constitution," but she will not do this, as these are not legal arguments. "When nominating Natalia Gavrilita and Igor Grosu, I proposed a government of honest people. If parliament voted for one or the other team, we would have a functional and empowered government that would work for the people. I am aware that the dissolution of parliament is an extreme measure, but we have already come to it. I ask the court to state the circumstances that justify the dissolution of the parliament of the 10th convocation, as a result of the impossibility of forming a government," Sandu concluded.