Chisinau, Moldova. A tense calm heralds a hot summer ahead after the arrest of a mayor locally, then setting off a chain reaction potential collapse of the government.
Moldova’s pro-European Liberal Party quit the ruling coalition Monday following the arrest of Chisinau’s mayor, but it looks like the government might keep its majority. The development came after Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca was put under house arrest Friday on suspicion of corruption in a city parking contract.
The anti-corruption police said the company won contracts because of “concerted actions” from city hall officials. Chirtoaca suspended the contract with the company this month and the company has not commented since.
The mayor is also deputy chairman of the Liberals party and has been mayor since 2007. He is in favor of the former Soviet republic’s reunification with neighboring Romania, something the current Moldovan government doesn’t support. Chirtoaca has also recently taken a stand against government plans to modify the electoral system.
Moldova’s Liberal Party withdrew its three ministers, a deputy premier and politically-appointed managers of government agencies from the three-party coalition that was formed after the November 2014 parliamentary election.