Moldovan court suspends president in political standoff

BUCHAREST, Romania – Moldova’s constitutional Court has temporarily stripped the country’s pro-Moscow president of his duties for his refusal to endorse new ministers in a political standoff.

President Igor Dodon rejected the court’s Tuesday ruling, which said his powers should be given to the Parliament speaker or prime minister. He accused the court of being “a political tool, not a constitutional body.”

Dodon is at odds with the ruling coalition, which favours closer relations with the European Union and the U.S.

In October, the court suspended his powers after he refused to appoint another minister. This time, Dodon said the ministerial candidates were incompetent, claiming some were involved in a 2014 scandal in which $1 billion was siphoned from Moldova’s banking system.

The ruling coalition asked the court to suspend Dodon’s powers so ministers could be appointed.