Moldova government faces backlash over Amnesty Law scandal
The ruling party in Moldova has expressed "certain doubts" regarding the way the Ministry of Justice has handled the implementation of the Amnesty Law.
This statement was made by PAS deputy Igor Chiriac, who serves as secretary of the Legal, Appointments, and Immunities Committee, during the TV8 show "Cutia Neagră." When asked if the resignation of Minister Veronica Mihailov-Moraru would be demanded, the deputy noted that this issue falls under the responsibility of the Prime Minister. "We are waiting to see what he will say," Chiriac added.
In the same context, the PAS deputy discussed the expulsion of Olesea Stamate from the party, explaining that it was based on political accountability. "Certain procedures follow, but she will no longer be part of the faction. That’s what I believe. It’s my opinion," Chiriac stated.
On April 11, deputies from the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) filed a simple motion against the policies promoted by the Ministry of Justice. The opposition accuses the institution's leadership of "defective" management, "non-compliant" decisions, and a lack of response to "serious issues" in the justice sector. The Ministry of Justice announced that it would not comment on the issues raised in the motion.
The ruling party expelled Olesea Stamate – a co-author of the bill – from its ranks and called for her to resign from her parliamentary mandate. The scandal has sparked a wave of harsh reactions. The opposition has strongly criticized the government, demanding the resignation of the entire faction and calling for early elections. Experts have warned that this legislative error risks compromising the government's image, providing the opposition with an opportunity to exploit the situation politically and undermine public trust in the current leadership.
In response to the scandal, Parliament urgently adopted new legislative amendments. As a result, individuals sentenced to life imprisonment will no longer be able to benefit from both sentence reduction and conditional release from prison. The law was passed with the votes of 54 PAS deputies, while lawmakers from the communist and socialist opposition abstained but allowed the initiative to pass in two readings.
The Constitutional Court also suspended the implementation of certain provisions from the Amnesty Law on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Moldova's independence declaration. The decision was made on April 8, following a request from the Prosecutor General, Ion Munteanu.
In addition to Olesea Stamate's expulsion from PAS, the scandal led to the resignation of Anatolie Falca, the head of the National Penitentiary Administration (ANP), following a request from Prime Minister Dorin Recean. Alexandru Adam will temporarily assume the position. Meanwhile, PAS has announced that it will adopt further measures after conducting a "comprehensive analysis" of the situation and has called on law enforcement agencies to investigate all those involved.
After being expelled from the Party of Action and Solidarity and asked to resign her mandate, Olesea Stamate responded with a detailed statement, explaining the real context of the legislative changes attributed to her, noting that the issue is not with the law itself but with the "defective" way it is applied.
It is worth mentioning that, following legislative changes supported by the parliamentary majority in 2021 and 2022, nine individuals serving life sentences have been released from prison, according to ANP data. Among them were two notorious criminals convicted of particularly grave offenses – Alexandru Sinigur and Iurie Radulov. The first was returned to prison after being charged with murder, while the second managed to leave the country, according to the General Police Inspectorate (IGP).
Translation by Iurie Tataru
