Alexandr Petkov remains mayor after court ruling
Alexandr Petkov will continue serving as the mayor of Bălți after the Bălți Court rejected the suspension request submitted by the Northern Directorate of the National Inspectorate for Technical Surveillance.
In the same session, the judges also decided to close the administrative case brought against the mayor.
In a public message, the mayor welcomed the court's decision: “The people of Bălți have won! I’ll keep it short: Horses don’t die just because the dogs want them to!” Petkov wrote on Facebook.
The mayor was accused of refusing to issue the necessary permit for the reconstruction of bridges on the city’s ring road, a project valued at 65 million lei, during the summer of 2024. However, the court ruled that the act no longer constituted an offense under the current legal provisions, which is why the case was closed.
In September 2024, Bălți Mayor Alexandr Petkov publicly stated that the ruling party had started his suspension “through a judicial process.” Moreover, during an appearance on the TV show Pe Față on Moldova 1, the mayor claimed he was the target of political pressure intended to force his suspension and call for early elections. Petkov also claimed that local representatives from PAS and PSRM shared a common interest in his removal.
In response, representatives of the ruling party stated that both central and local authorities must perform their duties properly and in the best interest of citizens. Representatives from the Socialist Party declined to comment.
Alexandr Petkov has been the mayor of Bălți since November 19, 2023.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
