Moldova Parliament dissolved, polls on Sept 6

Bucharest, June 9 (IANS) Moldovan interim president Pavel Filip on Sunday dissolved Parliament and announced elections on September 6. Filip signed a decree that dissolved Parliament, according to news reaching here from Chisinau, capital of Moldova, reported Xinhua news agency.

It was announced by Prime Minister Filip, who, according to the constitutional court, holds the office of President on an interim basis.

Filip's move has come one day after the Socialist Party, which favours closer ties with Russia, and the pro-European Union ACUM alliance signed an agreement to form a governing coalition on Saturday.

"The constitutional court has determined today that the President refuses to fulfil his attributions, which violates the Constitution. The constitutional court has suspended his function," said Filip, stressing "there are no other solutions following the crisis triggered by the Party of Socialists and the ACUM alliance and under the conditions of a compromised political class."

Both sides also convened a special parliamentary session, at which deputies of the Socialists and the ACUM, which together control 61 of the 101-seat Parliament, elected Socialists' leader Zinaida Greceanii as President of Parliament and approved a new government led by Maia Sandu, leader of the ACUM alliance.

The constitutional court ruled that the election of Greceanii as Parliament's speaker as well as the formation of the new government were unconstitutional, just as the other decisions made by the national legislature, starting June 8, when Parliament must be dissolved.