Republic of Moldova

The Romanian President told his Moldovan counterpart in New York on Wednesday that Bucharest was wary of any federal solution to the issue of Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region, as it would put the country’s European path at risk.

The European Union says Moldova has "moved resolutely” to implement key reforms to reinforce democracy and the rule of law since a change of government in June.

Parliament in Moldova has voted to abolish the so-called mixed voting system – which drew an adverse reaction from the country’s Western partners and was widely seen as favouring the former ruling party.

All six judges at Moldova’s Constitutional Court have stepped down amid calls for their resignation following decisions made by the court that fueled a political crisis in the ex-Soviet country.

Stronger ties with the European Union and bringing to justice those who abused power, including a controversial tycoon, are top priorities of Moldova’s new government.

The former ruling party has abandoned its attempt to cling onto power in Moldova and has gone into opposition – while still refusing the recognise the new government led by pro-EU and pro-Russian forces.

The ongoing political crisis and power struggle in Moldova sparked urgent calls for help Wednesday from the European Union to end the tensions. The president of neighboring Romania, Klaus Iohannis, warned in a letter to the European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that Moldova is "confronted with a very serious constitutional and political crisis'' which could destabilize the country and the region.

Moldova's pro-Russian President Igor Dodon has been stripped of his duties, escalating a political crisis stemming from inconclusive general elections. The move came after his party agreed a coalition cabinet with a pro-European Union block, welcomed by the EU. Outgoing PM Pavel Filip's rival party challenged that agreement, and the Constitutional Court backed Mr Filip, appointing him as interim president.

Transnistria’s leader, Vadim Krasnoselsky, said the Moldovan breakaway region will sue the Chisinau authorities for alleged crimes committed in the Dniester War in 1992, but did not say which court he intends to address.

President Igor Dodon warned he could dissolve parliament and call for new elections because MPs have not been able to reach a consensus on forming a governing majority since polls in February.