VZCZCXRO7175
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHCH #0675/01 2451546
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021546Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8327
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHISINAU 000675 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR MD
SUBJECT:  Voronin Announces Intention to Resign as 
"Rump" Parliament Meets September 2 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  As the "rump" Parliament of 53 
Alliance for European Integration (AIE) MPs was 
meeting at the National Palace, President Voronin 
told a PCRM Party Plenum that he would renounce 
his position as Acting President and continue as 
Member of Parliament and head of PCRM faction. 
His resignation will presumably be effective 
September 14, the deadline for MPs to choose 
between holding another Government position or 
their Parliamentary seat.  The PCRM Congress also 
confirmed their intention to continue efforts to 
form a "Left-Centrist" coalition, and go into 
opposition if this failed. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Meanwhile, the Alliance-led Parliament 
called on Prime Minister Greceanii to report on 
the economy, but when she failed to appear (she 
was at the PCRM meeting), deputies debated and 
adopted a resolution on economic issues.  Deputies 
held off on adopting any legislation, pending a 
decision by the Constitutional Court Q expected 
early next week Q on the legality of Speaker 
Ghimpu's August 28 election.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Ghimpu Chairs Session of "Rump" Parliament 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) The 53 Alliance deputies gathered 
September 2 for a session of Parliament that was 
boycotted by the 48 Communist deputies, who 
instead attended an extended PCRM plenum meeting. 
A cloud of uncertainty hung over the Parliamentary 
session pending a Constitutional Court ruling on 
the legality of AIE member Ghimpu's August 28 
election as Speaker.  The Party of Communists 
presented their case to the Constitutional Court 
on September 1, asking for an expedited decision 
which is expected on or around September 8. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The deputies had determined before the 
session not to attempt to adopt any legislation 
until the legality of the Speaker's election was 
resolved.  Instead, the Parliament voted to invite 
Prime Minister Greceanii to report to the 
Parliament on the economic situation and Chairman 
of Teleradio Moldova Valentin Todercan to report 
on his media's failure to televise the session as 
had been voted upon August 28.  After adopting a 
very moderate Appeal to National Minorities (in 
Russian), they adjourned for a two hour break, to 
give the invitees time to prepare and appear. 
 
¶5. (SBU) When Prime Minister Greceanii and 
Teleradio Chief Todercan failed to appear, after 
denouncing their "contempt" for the Parliament, 
the deputies debated the state of the economy and 
the need for media reform.  Speakers noted the 
economic crisis, including the expected 12 percent 
deficit and the serious 50 percent decline in 
Foreign Direct Investment, and criticized the 
previous government's "unprecedented" borrowing of 
more than one billion lei (approximately 100 
million USD).  The Parliament also adopted a 
declaration on unblocking the economy.  The 
Parliament adjourned without setting a date for 
its next session, presumably to wait until after 
the Constitutional Court decision on the session's 
legality. 
 
Voronin to Resign as of September 14 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) While the "Rump" Parliament was meeting, 
members of the Party of Communists gathered on 
September 2 at a special national-level sitting 
that included regional leaders from around the 
country, in order to discuss PCRM options and 
strategy.  According to media reports, at this 
meeting, Acting President Voronin stated his 
intention to retain his position as an MP and 
vacate the Presidency. (Note:  as required by law, 
he would have to resign as of September 14, the 
legal deadline for choosing between holding 
another government position and being an MP.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) A formal PCRM statement also reaffirmed 
the PCRM's intention to form an anti-crisis "Left- 
Centrist" coalition as the best way to avoid early 
elections in 2010.  However, their statement noted 
that in the event that it would not be possible to 
 
CHISINAU 00000675  002 OF 002 
 
 
form such a "patriotic" Parliamentary majority, 
the PCRM would then move into the opposition. 
While there also were reports that the PCRM had 
determined not concede the votes necessary to 
elect a President, which would trigger 
Parliamentary elections again in 2010, PCRM MP 
Vladimir Turcan told the press that no such 
decision had been taken.  Turcan said that he 
viewed the probability of early elections as 
remaining at 50-50. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Acting President Voronin's announcement 
that he intends to resign lays to rest fears of a 
looming political and constitutional crisis which 
would have been triggered by his attempt to cling 
to power (which would have forced the Alliance  to 
declare the position of President vacant). 
Voronin appears to have understood that his days 
as President were numbered, and that it would be 
better to exit gracefully.  The structural 
uncertainties about the Alliance's ability to 
elect its candidate (currently Democratic Party 
leader Marian Lupu) to the Presidency remain in 
place, as they still need the eight additional 
votes from the PCRM, but the brewing Alliance-PCRM 
battle over Voronin's status now would appear to 
have been resolved.  After September 14, the 
Speaker will become Acting President. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Nevertheless, Moldova is still 
temporarily in a situation of dual power.  While 
the Alliance hopes to decisively take the reins of 
power into its hands, it has been stymied by the 
necessity of awaiting the Constitutional Court's 
decision on the PCRM challenge to the legality of 
Ghimpu's election.  Should the Court, which is 
widely perceived as being biased toward the PCRM, 
rule in favor of the Communists, the Alliance has 
the majority necessary to reelect Ghimpu in a 
repeat vote.  The next challenge will be to get 
the two factions of Parliament back together in a 
united session that is universally recognized as 
legitimate. 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Alliance is strategizing that once 
they begin passing reform legislation and making 
the personnel changes that are within the 
Parliament's competency (such as removing the 
Chairman of the Constitutional Court), they will 
win support from some Communist deputies.  The 
PCRM, on the other hand, is still hoping to 
delegitimize Ghimpu and his election.  A picture 
on the front page of a pro-Communist newspaper 
September 2 showed Ghimpu's image superimposed 
over a picture of Romanian Fascist leader 
Antonescu wearing the Iron Cross, terming his 
election a "simple joke."  We have heard that even 
some of the more progressive PCRM deputies are 
indignant about Ghimpu's election and ready to 
roll the dice again in new elections.  Though the 
situation is still murky, it clear that both sides 
are respecting the rule of law, playing by the 
rules of the Constitution and Parliamentary 
procedures, and waiting for legal validation from 
the Constitutional Court in order to proceed. 
 
MICHELI