Disputed New Moldova Govt Meets Under Police Blockade

As the international community appealed for calm in Moldova, the new Prime Minister, Maia Sandu, defiantly summoned her cabinet to meet on Monday in parliament - despite a blockade by police still obeying the former government led by Pavel Filip.

Sandu stated that she would write to the European Commission, the Venice Commission and the Council of Europe to explain her rejection of "the so-called Constitutional Court decisions" declaring her government illegal and suspending President Igor Dodon for giving his backing to it.

Sandu said the court had acted under the political influence of the former ruling Democratic Party; "This cabinet will govern the country on the basis of fundamental European values: democracy, human dignity, freedom, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights," she said.

She added that the only duty of her cabinet was to meet the expectations of Moldovan citizens, and its only goal was to rid the state of the influence of oligarchs.

"Moldova has become an internationally isolated state where corruption, poverty and terror reigned because of a party with authoritarian leaders, and especially because of a dictator who was out of his mind," Sandu said referring to Democratic Party leader Vlad Plahotniuc.

"Without getting rid of Plahotniuc, without clearing state institutions, without releasing citizens from fear and pressure, Moldova has no chance to move towards the EU," she stressed.

Sandu emphasised that her negotiations with the opposition pro-Russian Socialists Party - which her pro-EU ACUM bloc will run the government in coalition with - had not included talks about the possible hot issue of federalisation.

The other leader of ACUM, Andrei Nastase, who is the new interior minister,...