The Moldovan Parliament elected a new government and its head. According to Newsmaker, Dorin Recean became the prime minister. 62 deputies of the leading party “Party of Action and Solidarity” (PAS) voted for the decision on the appointment of Rechan’s cabinet.

The opposition did not support the appointment of a new government.

Maia Sandu, the President of Moldova made the appointment after Natalia Gavrilita announced her resignation on February 10 after one and a half years in office. The change of prime minister occured shortly after Ukrainian officials warned of a plot to destabilize Moldova. The replacement also addresses public frustration with the slow progress of reforms in crucial areas such as justice and deteriorating living standards amid high inflation.

The new Prime Minister

Dorin Recean in 2012-2015, held the position of Minister of Internal Affairs. Before his appointment, he was a security advisor and secretary of the National Security Council.

The PM will support the “European Moldova 2030” concept. He emphasized that by the end of this year, his new government has a straightforward task to start negotiations on accession to the European Union and accelerate the necessary changes to become a full member of the European Union.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean presented the government’s three priorities:

• Discipline and order in state institutions;
• Economical development;
• Peace and stability.

The new Cabinet

“Together with this team, I will go to the parliament tomorrow to present the government’s program and ask for the support of the deputies” Dorin Recean

Vice-premiers positions will be occupied by the Minister of Economy and Digitalization Dumitra Alaiba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Bolea and Vice-Premier for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian. Recean nominated Veronica Sirețeanu for Minister of Finance, Veronica Mihailov-Moraru for Minister of Justice. Lilia Dabija can become the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

In the new government, there will be a new ministry – the Ministry of Energy, which will be headed by Victor Parlicov. 

Among the goals of the new government of Moldova are negotiations on the country’s accession to the European Union, the creation of order in state institutions, economic development, the continuation of justice reform and the strengthening of the fight against corruption.

Pro-Russian outrage

In general, the composition of the parliament includes 101 people’s representatives. The Parliament of Moldova consists of the majority: PAS (63 seats), Communists and Socialists block (31), (8) Șor Party and one non-party MP. 

Șor Party is highly pro-Russian and is supported informationally by Russian state news against Sandu’s government.

In Chișinău on February 16, two protests took place near the parliament building against the approval of the new government.

In the Russian news recently, great attention has been paid to the protests organized by the Șor party. State online media, for example, RIA Novosti, telling their readers about the protests, noted that their participants accused the ruling government of being unable to cope with the economic crisis and that Maia Sandu is about to usurp power.

Old challenges for the new government

A few days earlier, Ukraine handed Moldovan officials a document allegedly leaked from Russia about a detailed plan to undermine political stability in Moldova. A day after the change of the prime minister in Moldova, a Russian missile crossed the country’s airspace again. 

The missile did not just touch the territory of Moldova, like the previous ones, but crossed it and reached 35 km from the border with Romania. 

Officials of Moldova spoke about the need to develop defense, in particular air defense, but currently Moldova is not in a position to respond with military force to such events.

The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, announced Russia’s plans to stage a coup d’état in Chisinau. According to Sandu, Russia wants to change the government in her country with the help of opposition protests in order to use Moldova in the war against Ukraine.