10:41, 05 May 2009 | GMT +5
Moldova parl't to elect Speaker, fix date for presidential polls
CHISINAU. May 5. KAZINFORM. The newly-elected parliament of Moldova holds its first meeting here on Tuesday to elect a Speaker and fix a date for presidential elections. The meeting is to take place in the Palace of the Republic, for repair work is being continued in the parliament building that was smashed during the unrest staged by the opposition in April; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

Vladimir Turcan, chairman of the law commission of parliament, has told Itar-Tass, "The first meeting will be presided over by Ivan Kalin, senior member of parliament. Those present will hear a report by the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court on the results of the recent elections, and on recognition of credentials, and will then set about forming factions and electing the governing bodies of parliament". Only after that, a date for presidential polls will be fixed, he added.
Vladimir Voronin, leader of the ruling Party of Communists and President of Moldova, is referred to as the main candidate for the position of Speaker of Parliament. Voronin, who is about to complete his second and last presidential term of office, has already stated, "Upon leaving the presidential office I intend to focus on work in parliament", emphasizing that "Moldova is a parliamentary republic".
This past Monday, Voronin said he does not intend "to form a coalition with the opposition parties but is prepared to offer one post of Deputy Speaker and the leadership of four outoften parliamentary commissions to them."
Neither did he rule it out that "the most capable members of the opposition will get positions in a new government". In so doing the President admitted that "The opposition avoids a dialogue in every way. I sent out delegates for a meeting with them but they ( opposition members) run away like hares."
Under the law, if Voronin is elected Speaker of Parliament, he will retain his presidential powers in full pending the election of a new Head of State; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.