Moldovan to court to consider whether Chisinau mayor was suspended legally
17:29 | 08.08.2017 Category: Social
Chisinau, 8 August /MOLDPRES/ - The Constitutional Court (CCM) is to consider whether Chisinau mayor Dorin Chirtoaca was temporarily suspended from office under legal provisions. Judges of the Court of Appeal took a decision to this effect following a notification submitted by Chirtoaca’s lawyer.
The case prosecutor said that the judges today were to examine an appeal by the defence on the suspension from office of the general mayor, Dorin Chirtoaca. “Till the consideration of the appeal, the defence side submitted an application, thereby requesting raising the exception of unconstitutionality. Thus, the application was partially admitted and the notification by the defence was sent to the Constitutional Court. As for the application on the cancellation of the conclusion, under which the mayor was suspended from office, it was turned down. Hence, he remains suspended from post.” the prosecutor said.
The Chisinau mayor was present at the session of the Court of Appeal. Dorin Chirtoaca said that the criminal procedure code does not see directly the fact under which the mayor might be suspended from the office to which he was elected by citizens. “There is an error in the criminal practice; therefore, the subject will be considered by the Constitutional Court,” Chirtoaca said.
The lawyer of the Chisinau mayor, Tatiana Iovu, noted that if CCM rules that the general mayor was suspended from office illegally, then the decision by the Buiucani court will be repeatedly considered in court. “The Court of Appeal will send the notification to CCM; afterwards, a session will be set, during which we will express our position on this notification,” Iovu said.
The case prosecutor has earlier said that “the provisional suspension from office is necessary, as more witnesses are to be heard, who are in close relation with the capital’s mayor, so that there is a risk that the concerned persons be influenced.”
Dorin Chirtoaca in late May 2017 was detained by anticorruption prosecutors and officers of the National Anticorruption Centre, being suspected of influence peddling in a file on paid parkings.
(Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor M. Jantovan)