Moldova’s Democrats Face Possible Charges over Power Struggle

Moldova's interim prosecutor general has opened a criminal investigation into the Democratic Party on suspicion of 'usurping power' when it resisted handing over the reins of government during a post-election crisis in June.

The probe stems from a move by the Democratic Party, led by oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, to thwart the creation of the current government between the pro-European ACUM bloc and pro-Russian Socialists, an unlikely alliance formed on June 8 following inconclusive elections in February.

On Monday evening, the office of new interim Prosecutor General Dumitru Robu announced the investigation into the events of June 7-14, when the Constitutional Court - acting, critics say, in concert with Plahotniuc's Democrats - replaced pro-Russian President Igor Dodon with the Democratic Party's Pavel Filip, who swiftly dissolved parliament and called a new election.

The Democrats eventually gave up power, Dodon was re-instated and Plahotniuc quit his party and the country.

Filip, a former prime minister, dismissed the investigation into the Democrats as politically motivated.

"It is clear to us that it is an investigation without substance, without real reasons, and it is meant to put pressure on the only parliamentary opposition party," Filip wrote on his Facebook profile.

Robu's announcement coincided with a Moscow court order for Plahotniuc's arrest on charges of heading an international narcotics trafficking network. He is accused alongside former Democratic Party MP and Muay Thai kickboxer and K1 fighter Constantin Tutu.

Russian prosecutors have already accused Plahotniuc of financial crimes.

Dodon, on appointing Robu last week, said he expected those responsible for the June crisis to answer.

"The...