ELECTIONS 2025 // Minister Sergiu Lazarencu warned by CEC for not suspending activity
The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) issued a warning to candidate for deputy Sergiu Lazarencu, from the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), following a complaint from the "Alternative" electoral bloc.
Representatives of the bloc reported to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) that Sergiu Lazarencu, ranked 24th on the PAS list of candidates for the parliamentary elections, had not suspended his activity as Minister of the Environment, as required by current legislation.
The candidate was also accused of using administrative resources by participating in an electoral event as a representative of the Government.
In a complaint submitted to the CEC, the "Alternative" Bloc pointed to a Facebook post dated September 12, where Lazarencu discussed issues with representatives from Ciorescu City Hall, a suburb of Chisinau. The accompanying images included text in which Lazarencu mentioned that "the main challenges and achievements of the government in these four years were discussed."
The representatives of the "Alternative" Bloc argued, "This discussion is of an electoral nature, and administrative resources are being used. Mr. Lazarencu's dual role at this meeting, as both an election candidate and a representative of the Government, demonstrates that he has not suspended his activity as a minister."
In response, PAS representatives at the CEC stated that Sergiu Lazarencu attended the event on his own initiative, as a private citizen, and that his speech reflected only his personal views, without representing any governmental or political position.
During the CEC meeting on September 17, it was noted that Sergiu Lazarencu had suspended his role as Minister of the Environment from August 29 to September 26, following a decision made by Prime Minister Dorin Recean.
The electoral authority did not find evidence of administrative resource use but acknowledged that, although Lazarencu was de jure suspended from his ministerial position, he participated in the event as a representative of the public authority.
Despite the "Alternative" Bloc requesting the cancellation of Lazarencu’s registration in the electoral race, the CEC opted for a less severe sanction: they issued a warning to the candidate, citing this as his first violation.
