Moldovan PM Resigns Amid State Company Scandal

Prime Minister (PM) of Moldova Alexandru Munteanu announced his resignation which led to the fall of his government amid rising political turmoil due to a scandal involving the state-owned air navigation company, MoldATSA.

In a statement posted on social media platforms, Munteanu said he could no longer continue his post as PM without sacrificing his principles.

"I accepted the offer to become prime minister with a great sense of responsibility and the firm conviction that I can contribute to bringing about change for the better. Once I realized that I could no longer carry out my mandate in accordance with the principles and beliefs I hold, I decided to resign," said Munteanu as quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, July 3.

Muntean's resignation automatically led to the dissolution of his government cabinet in accordance with Moldova's constitutional framework.

The decision comes days after a controversy involving MoldATSA triggered a political crisis.

The situation prompted the President of Moldova Maia Sandume to carry out a thorough cleaning after allegations emerged regarding the appointment process of officials and governance at state-owned companies.

On Thursday (2/7), the Moldovan parliament formed a special investigative committee to investigate the management of state-owned companies.

The committee will review the recruitment procedures for senior management positions, the composition of the board of directors, as well as cases where a person holds a position in several public institutions at once.

Moldova, which is a former Soviet republic, is currently in the status of a candidate country to become a member of the European Union.