On 5 March, the Moldovan government lost its parliamentary support as Moldova’s legislators passed a vote of no confidence in the current government.
The Moldovan government was a three-party coalition called the Alliance for European integration. The coalition faced an internal crisis as on 28 February, the other leaders of the coalition asked by the Moldovan Prime Minister, Vlad Filat, to resign. Mr. Filat had accused his allies of corruption and withdrew his Liberal Democratic Party's support for the founding coalition agreement. Taking advantage of the coalition crisis, the opposition communists called then a confidence ballot.
Communist Party leader and former president Vladimir Voronin told fellow lawmakers, “there is not a single logical argument for saving an alliance that stands for European integration…this government is responsible for impoverishing the people.” However, Moldova and EU are currently negotiating an Association Agreement which aims to strengthen their political and economical ties.
According to Reuters, rivalries, personal feuds and conflicting business interests among the Alliance's leaders caused the current political crisis. Scandal erupted earlier this year when a 34-year-old local businessman was accidentally shot dead on a hunting trip with top government officials. Global post reported that several top members of the retired government are now under investigation. Finance Minister Veaceslav Negruta is being probed over the payment of 400 thousand euros in compensation to a businessman. Culture Minister Boris Focsa is being investigated for the illegal privatisation of a historic building in the Moldovan capital Chisinau while Health Minister Andrei Usatii is under investigation for using a hospital as collateral for a bank credit.
Furthermore, on 7 February, Moldova has launched criminal proceedings in a money laundering case involving its biggest bank, the Russian mafia and six EU countries (Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.) Responsible for the case is Moldova’s National Anti-corruption Centre.