December 8 (SeeNews) - Moldova’s Constitutional Court said it suspended the newly adopted bill that strips pro-European president elect Maia Sandu of control of the country's intelligence service, SIS.
The court acted in response to a request to rule on the constitutionality of the bill submitted by a member of parliament from pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) led by Sandu, it said in a press release on Monday.
The court added that it will make known the motives for its decision in the following days.
On Thursday, 51 members of Moldova's 101-seat parliament voted in favour of the bill, just weeks before Sandu, the winner of the presidential elections held last month, assumes office. The MPs who backed the bill were mostly from the informal ruling coalition of Moldova's Socialist Party (PSRM) and Sor Party, according to local media reports.
Some 5,000 people gathered in Chisinau to protest against the new legislation on Thursday, while on Sunday, over 50,000 rallied to call for early general elections in a protest action against the Socialist government organized by PAS. The Socialist party, PSRM, is controlled by former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon who lost the November 15 presidential runoff vote to Maia Sandu.
In a televised statement on Wednesday evening, Sandu said that without control of SIS, the president will not have the necessary levers to investigate high-level corruption cases and called on Moldovans to protest against the bill. The Information and Security Service (SIS) is Moldova's principal intelligence agency.
PSRM holds 37 seats in parliament, while Sor Party, led by businessman Ilan Sor, controls 9. The two parties have formed an informal coalition and are in talks on establishing an official one, according to local media reports.
PAS holds 15 seats, while pro-EU Dignity and Truth Party (PDPDA) controls 11 seats. Democrat Party of Moldova holds 11 seats, Pro-Moldova has 3 seats, while the remaining 15 mandates are held by independent MPs.