Moldova's prime minister resigns after less than a year
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Moldova's Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu resigned on July 3, less than a year after assuming the role, due to apparent disagreements with the country's president, Maia Sandu.
"The moment I understand that I can no longer exercise my mandate in accordance with my principles and beliefs, I choose to walk away," Munteanu posted on Facebook.
Sandu thanked Munteanu for his service in a press conference on the morning of July 3, saying that he "assumed responsibility for the government, in a complex period, when measures were needed to relaunch the economy, but also to initiate essential structural reforms."
However, she called "false" any speculation that "he wanted to fight against abuses and was not allowed."
"I expected more involvement in complicated decisions, more presence to listen to people, to explain what kind of reforms we should make and why we should make them," Sandu said.
"We are obliged to succeed in bringing Moldova into the EU and to develop the country," Sandu added.
Moldova and Ukraine became candidate countries for EU membership in 2022, and both formally opened the first of six to-do lists of reforms on June 15.
The two countries are making speedy progress through the reform agenda, with Ukraine second only to Moldova.
Sandu said she "cannot know how long it will take" to find a replacement for Munteanu, but that it needs to happen quickly to progress on Moldova's EU accession path.
"Let's not take any breaks, let's not stop for any moment. On the contrary, let's work even faster," Sandu added.
