Vladimir Voronin
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Nicolaevici Voronin is a Moldova
n politician. He was the third President of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and has been the First Secretary
of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) since 1994. He was Europe
's first democratically elected Communist Party
head of state
after the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc
.
of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. Despite his Russified
name, his ethnic origins are Moldovan. Although Voronin is a lifelong communist who pursued unfriendly policies towards Romania
at various times during the 2000s, his grandfather Isidor Sârbu
was an anticommunist fighter in Romania after 1944. Voronin's mother, Pelagheia Bujeniţă, died on July 2, 2005.
Voronin graduated from the Cooperation College (Kooperativny technikum) of Chişinău
(1961), the All-Union Institute for Food Industry (1971), the Academy of Social Sciences of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(1983), and the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union (1991).
. From 1966 until 1971, Voronin held the offices of vice-director of the bread factory in Criuleni
and head of the bread factory in Dubăsari
.
For the next ten years, he was active in the state administration of the Moldavian SSR, being in turn a member of the Dubăsari and Ungheni
township executive committees, of the Ungheni District Executive Committee, and, starting 1983, inspector and vice-director of the Organization Section of the Central Committee
of the Moldavian branch
of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
. In 1985, he was appointed head of section in the Council of Ministers of the Moldavian SSR. Between 1985 and 1989, Voronin served as first secretary of the Bender
City Committee of the Communist Party. Between 1988 and 1990, he held the office of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Moldovan SSR. In this capacity he advocated against the use of force to quell the anti-Soviet popular demonstrations of November 7 and 10, 1989, a regretful reference to which he made when addressing the country on TV on April 8 after the police has quelled the 2009 Moldova civil unrest
. Voronin was also a member of the Supreme Soviet
of the Moldavian SSR of 10th and 11th legislatures.
In 1993, Voronin became the co-president of the Organizational Committee for the creation of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM). He played a central role in reviving the Communist Party after it was banned in 1991-1993. In 1994 he was elected President
of the PCRM. He was a candidate for the post of President of the now-independent Republic of Moldova at the 1996 elections
. In the parliamentary election in March 1998
, Vladimir Voronin was elected as a Member of Parliament
. He then served as member of its Permanent Bureau and as president of the PCRM's parliamentary faction, which held 40 of 101 seats.
Voronin was nominated as Prime Minister of Moldova
by President Petru Lucinschi
in late 1999, but the nomination was unsuccessful because Voronin did not have enough support in parliament. In the parliamentary election in February 2001
, he was again elected as a Member of Parliament.
; by this time the constitution had been changed to provide for election of the President through the Parliament rather than popular vote. In March the PCRM's Central Committee nominated Voronin as its presidential candidate at a plenum, and on April 4, 2001 Voronin was elected as President by the Parliament. Of the 89 deputies participating in the vote, 71 voted for Voronin, 15 voted for Dumitru Braghiş
, and three voted for Valerian Cristea. He was sworn in at a ceremony in Chişinău on April 7, 2001. The Constitutional Court
ruled that the President could also lead a political party, and Voronin was re-elected as the PCRM's leader.
Voronin maintained his commitment to the reduction of Moldova's chronic poverty by allocating more resources to social safety net
items such as health, education, and increasing pension
s and salaries
. These populist aims helped to maintain support for his regime, but Moldova still remained the poorest country in Europe throughout his presidency, with around 38% of GDP coming from remittances of Moldovans working abroad (2008). Voronin's tenure as President was marked by fluctuating relations with the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the World Bank
. Voronin proceeded with Lucinschi
's plans to privatize
several important state-owned industries, and on occasion even broke with his own party over this issue.
From January to April 2002, opposition forces organized large demonstrations in protest against several controversial government proposals, including expanded use of the Russian language
in schools, and plans for its designation as a second official language
. While the demonstrations were tense at times, the government did not use force and ultimately agreed to mediation by the Council of Europe
.
During his visit to the United States
(December 16–20, 2002), Voronin met with president
Bush
and issued a joint statement with him affirming the relationship between the two countries, and acknowledging the work Moldova needed to bring about reform and privatization.
In 2003, Voronin's government backtracked over signing a Russia
n-proposed federalization
settlement with the breakaway region of Transnistria
(Kozak memorandum
). In 2004, Voronin branded the leadership of Transnistria
"a transnational criminal group", and ordered an economic blockade
of Transnistria after its authorities closed several Romanian-speaking schools
.
In the parliamentary election in March 2005, the PCRM received 46.1% of the vote and won 56 seats in the 101-member Parliament — more than enough for the 51-vote minimum required to remain in government, but short of the 61 votes necessary to elect a president. However, President Voronin received the necessary support from the Christian Democratic People's Party
, the Democratic
and Social Liberal
factions, after he promised to deliver on needed reforms and Euro
-Atlantic integration for the country. (The latter two factions broke away from the Electoral Bloc “Moldova Democrată” following the election, leaving the Our Moldova Alliance
(AMN) of the former Mayor of Chişinău
Serafim Urechean
as the second-largest party in Parliament, with 26 seats.) In the presidential election held in Parliament on April 4, 2005, Voronin was re-elected with 75 votes; another candidate, Gheorghe Duca, received one vote, and two votes were invalid.
in April 2009 (also known as Twitter Revolution) antagonized the society, and the communists were unable to secure one additional vote
out of the 41 MPs from the three opposition parties; a snap parliamentary election was necessary.
In the snap parliamentary election in July 2009
, the PCRM won 44.69% of the vote, which is more votes than any other individual party, and gained 48 seats, but it lost its parliamentary majority to a coalition of opposition parties
which has 53 seats. However, the opposition also failed to obtain enough seats to elect a President, thereby producing more uncertainty. Voronin announced on 2 September 2009 that he intended to resign, saying that his position as acting President had become "ambiguous and doubtful". He resigned on 11 September 2009. The President sent a letter to Parliament confirming his intention to resign. Mihai Ghimpu
succeeded Voronin as acting president until a proper President could be elected.
in Strasbourg
. In February 2010, Vladimir Voronin and his wife returned the diplomatic passports which they were keeping illegally.
) and has two children, a son Oleg
and a daughter Valentina. Vladimir Voronin's CV states he is an economist
, engineer
, political science
graduate, and jurist
by education. He has the military rank
of Major General
from the former USSR Ministry of Interior (equivalent of NATO OF-6 Brigadier General
- see Ranks and insignia of the Soviet military and Ranks and insignia of NATO
). Some argue that he also holds Russian citizenship in addition to citizenship of the Republic of Moldova, because he used to receive a pension as a former Russian Ministry of Interior employee, from the time he lived as a private person in Moscow in 1991-1993. His son, Oleg Voronin
, is arguably the richest businessman in Moldova. His daughter is a physician, but unlike Oleg not a public figure. Vladimir Voronin on 19 February 2010 told journalists that the questioning of his son is an attempt of revenge against his family by the current authorities. Oleg Voronin is suspected of fiscal evasion and money laundering.
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
n politician. He was the third President of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and has been the First Secretary
General Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) since 1994. He was Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
's first democratically elected Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
after the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
.
Family and education
Vladimir Nicolaevici Voronin was born in the village of Corjova, Dubăsari DistrictDubasari district
Dubăsari district is a district in the east of Moldova, with the administrative center at Cocieri. As of January 1, 2011, its population was 35,200.This does not include the 715 people that live in the village of Roghi, which is controlled by the breakaway Tiraspol authorities.-History:The...
of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. Despite his Russified
Russification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
name, his ethnic origins are Moldovan. Although Voronin is a lifelong communist who pursued unfriendly policies towards Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
at various times during the 2000s, his grandfather Isidor Sârbu
Isidor Sârbu
Isidor Sârbu was a Romanian anti-communist.- Biography :Isidor Sârbu was born in the village of Corjova of the Russian Empire....
was an anticommunist fighter in Romania after 1944. Voronin's mother, Pelagheia Bujeniţă, died on July 2, 2005.
Voronin graduated from the Cooperation College (Kooperativny technikum) of Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
(1961), the All-Union Institute for Food Industry (1971), the Academy of Social Sciences of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
(1983), and the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union (1991).
Early career
He began working in 1961 as the head of a bakery in the town of CriuleniCriuleni
Criuleni is a city in Moldova, seat of the Criuleni District. The city administers villages, Ohrincea, Zolonceni, Orhei Vechi, Cruglic, Izbește...- Twin towns — Sister cities :Ungheni is twinned with: Orăștie, Romania...
. From 1966 until 1971, Voronin held the offices of vice-director of the bread factory in Criuleni
Criuleni
Criuleni is a city in Moldova, seat of the Criuleni District. The city administers villages, Ohrincea, Zolonceni, Orhei Vechi, Cruglic, Izbește...- Twin towns — Sister cities :Ungheni is twinned with: Orăștie, Romania...
and head of the bread factory in Dubăsari
Dubasari
Dubăsari is a city in Transnistria, with a population of 23,650. The city is under the administration of the breakaway government of the "Transnistrian Moldovan Republic", and functions as the seat of the Dubăsari sub-district, Transnistria, Moldova.-Name:The origin of the town name is the plural...
.
For the next ten years, he was active in the state administration of the Moldavian SSR, being in turn a member of the Dubăsari and Ungheni
Ungheni
----Ungheni is the seventh largest city in Moldova and, since 2003, the seat of Ungheni District.There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border town with the same name in Romania , on the other side of the Prut River.- History :The first historical...
township executive committees, of the Ungheni District Executive Committee, and, starting 1983, inspector and vice-director of the Organization Section of the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of the Moldavian branch
Communist Party of Moldova
The Communist Party of Moldova was one of the fourteen republic-level parties that formed the Communist Party of the Soviet Union until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Indeed, the PCM was the republic-level chapter of the CPSU in the Moldavian SSR from 1940 to 1991...
of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
. In 1985, he was appointed head of section in the Council of Ministers of the Moldavian SSR. Between 1985 and 1989, Voronin served as first secretary of the Bender
Bender, Moldova
Bender or Bendery, also known as Tighina is a city within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova under de facto control of the unrecognized Transnistria Republic since 1992...
City Committee of the Communist Party. Between 1988 and 1990, he held the office of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Moldovan SSR. In this capacity he advocated against the use of force to quell the anti-Soviet popular demonstrations of November 7 and 10, 1989, a regretful reference to which he made when addressing the country on TV on April 8 after the police has quelled the 2009 Moldova civil unrest
2009 Moldova civil unrest
The 2009 civil unrest in Moldova began on April 7, 2009, in major cities of Moldova before the results of the 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election were announced...
. Voronin was also a member of the Supreme Soviet
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments...
of the Moldavian SSR of 10th and 11th legislatures.
In 1993, Voronin became the co-president of the Organizational Committee for the creation of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM). He played a central role in reviving the Communist Party after it was banned in 1991-1993. In 1994 he was elected President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the PCRM. He was a candidate for the post of President of the now-independent Republic of Moldova at the 1996 elections
Moldovan presidential election, 1996
The first round of 1996 Moldovan presidential elections was held in Moldova on 17 November and a run-off round between Petru Lucinschi and Mircea Snegur was held on 1 December 1996.- Results :-References:...
. In the parliamentary election in March 1998
Moldovan parliamentary election, 1998
A parliamentary election took place in Moldova on March 22, 1998.- Results :At the legislative elections on March 22, 1998, the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, which was re-legalized in 1994 after being banned in 1991, gained 40 of the 101 places in the Moldovan Parliament,Seats...
, Vladimir Voronin was elected as a Member of Parliament
Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is a unicameral assembly with 101 seats. Its members are elected by popular vote every 4 years. The parliament then elects a president, who functions as the head of state...
. He then served as member of its Permanent Bureau and as president of the PCRM's parliamentary faction, which held 40 of 101 seats.
Voronin was nominated as Prime Minister of Moldova
Prime Minister of Moldova
The Prime Minister of Moldova is Moldova's head of government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the President and exercises executive power along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.-Moldavian Democratic Republic :...
by President Petru Lucinschi
Petru Lucinschi
Petru Chiril Lucinschi was Moldova's second President .- Biography :Petru Chiril Lucinschi was born on January 27, 1940 in Rădulenii Vechi village, Soroca County, Romania...
in late 1999, but the nomination was unsuccessful because Voronin did not have enough support in parliament. In the parliamentary election in February 2001
Moldovan parliamentary election, 2001
Moldovan early parliamentary elections took place on February 25, 2001. Turnout was 67.52 percent.-Election outcome:The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova won the election. Vladimir Voronin was elected president shortly thereafter by the newly elected parliament-Sources:*...
, he was again elected as a Member of Parliament.
Presidential career
The PCRM won 50.07% of the vote and 71 of the 101 seats in the February 2001 parliamentary electionMoldovan parliamentary election, 2001
Moldovan early parliamentary elections took place on February 25, 2001. Turnout was 67.52 percent.-Election outcome:The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova won the election. Vladimir Voronin was elected president shortly thereafter by the newly elected parliament-Sources:*...
; by this time the constitution had been changed to provide for election of the President through the Parliament rather than popular vote. In March the PCRM's Central Committee nominated Voronin as its presidential candidate at a plenum, and on April 4, 2001 Voronin was elected as President by the Parliament. Of the 89 deputies participating in the vote, 71 voted for Voronin, 15 voted for Dumitru Braghiş
Dumitru Braghis
Dumitru Braghiş was the Prime Minister of Moldova from 1999 until 2001. Then, he was a member of the Parliament of Moldova, where he represented the Party Alliance Our Moldova.-Biography:...
, and three voted for Valerian Cristea. He was sworn in at a ceremony in Chişinău on April 7, 2001. The Constitutional Court
Constitutional Court of Moldova
The Constitutional Court of Moldova represent the sole body of constitutional jurisdiction in the Republic of Moldova, autonomous and independent from the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
ruled that the President could also lead a political party, and Voronin was re-elected as the PCRM's leader.
Voronin maintained his commitment to the reduction of Moldova's chronic poverty by allocating more resources to social safety net
Social safety net
Social safety nets, or "socioeconomic safety nets", are non-contributory transfer programs seeking to prevent the poor or those vulnerable to shocks and poverty from falling below a certain poverty level. Safety net programs can be provided by the public sector or by the private sector...
items such as health, education, and increasing pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
s and salaries
Salary
A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis....
. These populist aims helped to maintain support for his regime, but Moldova still remained the poorest country in Europe throughout his presidency, with around 38% of GDP coming from remittances of Moldovans working abroad (2008). Voronin's tenure as President was marked by fluctuating relations with the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
(IMF) and the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
. Voronin proceeded with Lucinschi
Petru Lucinschi
Petru Chiril Lucinschi was Moldova's second President .- Biography :Petru Chiril Lucinschi was born on January 27, 1940 in Rădulenii Vechi village, Soroca County, Romania...
's plans to privatize
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
several important state-owned industries, and on occasion even broke with his own party over this issue.
From January to April 2002, opposition forces organized large demonstrations in protest against several controversial government proposals, including expanded use of the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
in schools, and plans for its designation as a second official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
. While the demonstrations were tense at times, the government did not use force and ultimately agreed to mediation by the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
.
During his visit to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(December 16–20, 2002), Voronin met with president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and issued a joint statement with him affirming the relationship between the two countries, and acknowledging the work Moldova needed to bring about reform and privatization.
In 2003, Voronin's government backtracked over signing a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-proposed federalization
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
settlement with the breakaway region of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
(Kozak memorandum
Kozak memorandum
The Kozak Memorandum, officially Russian Draft Memorandum on the Basic Principles of the State Structure of a United State in Moldova, was a 2003 proposal aimed at a final settlement of relations between Moldova and Transnistria...
). In 2004, Voronin branded the leadership of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
"a transnational criminal group", and ordered an economic blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of Transnistria after its authorities closed several Romanian-speaking schools
Moldovan schools in Transnistria
The Moldovan schools in Transnistria became an issue of contention in 2004 in the context of the disputed status of Transnistria, a breakaway region of since 1990/1992.- History :...
.
The second mandate
Christian-Democratic People's Party (Moldova)
The Christian Democratic People's Party is a Christian democratic political party in Moldova. In the last legislative elections on March 6, 2005, the party won 9.1% of the popular vote and 11 out of 101 seats. Led by Iurie Roşca, the CDPP and the liberal PNL are the only major political parties in...
, the Democratic
Democratic Party of Moldova
The Democratic Party of Moldova is a social-democratic political party in Moldova.-Overview:In the legislative elections of 6 March 2005, the party was part of the Electoral Bloc Democratic Moldova , that won 28.4 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 101 seats. Inside the Bloc the party won 8 seats...
and Social Liberal
Social Liberal Party (Moldova)
The Social Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Moldova, led by Oleg Serebrian.At the legislative elections, 6 March 2005, the party was part of the Electoral Bloc Democratic Moldova , that won 28.4 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 101 seats. Inside the Bloc the party won 3 seats...
factions, after he promised to deliver on needed reforms and Euro
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
-Atlantic integration for the country. (The latter two factions broke away from the Electoral Bloc “Moldova Democrată” following the election, leaving the Our Moldova Alliance
Party Alliance Our Moldova
The Party Alliance Our Moldova was a social liberal political party in Moldova led by Serafim Urechean, former mayor of Chişinău. It merged into the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova in 2011.-History:...
(AMN) of the former Mayor of Chişinău
Mayor of Chişinău
The Mayor of Chişinău is head of the executive branch of Chişinău City Council.- History :The first mayor of Chişinău was Anghel Nour in 1817. In 1941, the office was abolished. After the Soviet era and the re-establishment of the office in 1990, Nicolae Costin became the first democratically...
Serafim Urechean
Serafim Urechean
Serafim Urechean is a Moldovan politician.-Education and career:Urechean was born on February 2, 1950, in Larga, Briceni. In 1974, he graduated from the Polytechnic Institute in Chişinău. He carried out the compulsory military service in the Soviet army, at Tolyatti...
as the second-largest party in Parliament, with 26 seats.) In the presidential election held in Parliament on April 4, 2005, Voronin was re-elected with 75 votes; another candidate, Gheorghe Duca, received one vote, and two votes were invalid.
Political agenda during tenure
The declared main goals of his political agenda were:- Closer ties with the Russian Federation and "integration in Europe";
- Solving the Transnistrian conflict;
- EU cooperation (and membership if possible);
- strong opposition to NATO membership;
- Independence, as opposed to a unification with RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Events of 2009 and resignation
After the parliamentary election held on 5 April 2009, the PCRM won 49.48% of the vote and 60 seats, one seat too few to elect a President. Voronin was elected Speaker of the Parliament and retained the Presidency of Moldova with an interim status. The police crackdown of the civil unrest2009 Moldova civil unrest
The 2009 civil unrest in Moldova began on April 7, 2009, in major cities of Moldova before the results of the 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election were announced...
in April 2009 (also known as Twitter Revolution) antagonized the society, and the communists were unable to secure one additional vote
Moldovan presidential election, May–June 2009
An indirect presidential election was held in Moldova following the April 2009 parliamentary election.- Overview :The incumbent president, Vladimir Voronin, is term-limited and was elected to become speaker of the Parliament of Moldova in early May 2009; the ruling Party of Communists of the...
out of the 41 MPs from the three opposition parties; a snap parliamentary election was necessary.
In the snap parliamentary election in July 2009
Moldovan parliamentary election, 2009
A parliamentary election was held in Moldova on 5 April 2009. The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova won a majority of seats for the third consecutive occasion. Turnout was 59.49 percent, exceeding the 50% necessary for the election to be valid...
, the PCRM won 44.69% of the vote, which is more votes than any other individual party, and gained 48 seats, but it lost its parliamentary majority to a coalition of opposition parties
Alliance for European Integration
The Alliance for European Integration is the ruling coalition in Moldova since the July 2009 election.-Overall context :After April 2009 election and the civil unrest, the climate in Moldova became very polarised. The parliament failed to elect a new president. For this reason, the parliament was...
which has 53 seats. However, the opposition also failed to obtain enough seats to elect a President, thereby producing more uncertainty. Voronin announced on 2 September 2009 that he intended to resign, saying that his position as acting President had become "ambiguous and doubtful". He resigned on 11 September 2009. The President sent a letter to Parliament confirming his intention to resign. Mihai Ghimpu
Mihai Ghimpu
Mihai Ghimpu Mihai Ghimpu Mihai Ghimpu (born 19 November 1951, Coloniţa, Moldova, is a Moldovan politician. He was Speaker of Parliament from 28 August 2009 to 30 December 2010 and Acting President from 11 September 2009 until 28 December 2010.-Family:...
succeeded Voronin as acting president until a proper President could be elected.
Post-presidential Years
The pro-Western parliamentary majority on December 29, 2009 blocked Voronin's election to Moldova's permanent delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of EuropeParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. In February 2010, Vladimir Voronin and his wife returned the diplomatic passports which they were keeping illegally.
Personal life
Vladimir Voronin is married to Taisia Mihailovna (a UkrainianUkrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
) and has two children, a son Oleg
Oleg Voronin
Oleg Voronin is a businessperson and the son of former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin.- Biography :Oleg Voronin was born on November 4, 1962, in Criuleni, then in the Moldovan SSR. He is the son of former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin and Taisia Mihailovna; grand grandfather of Oleg...
and a daughter Valentina. Vladimir Voronin's CV states he is an economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
graduate, and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
by education. He has the military rank
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
from the former USSR Ministry of Interior (equivalent of NATO OF-6 Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
- see Ranks and insignia of the Soviet military and Ranks and insignia of NATO
Ranks and insignia of NATO
Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO.-Definitions:...
). Some argue that he also holds Russian citizenship in addition to citizenship of the Republic of Moldova, because he used to receive a pension as a former Russian Ministry of Interior employee, from the time he lived as a private person in Moscow in 1991-1993. His son, Oleg Voronin
Oleg Voronin
Oleg Voronin is a businessperson and the son of former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin.- Biography :Oleg Voronin was born on November 4, 1962, in Criuleni, then in the Moldovan SSR. He is the son of former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin and Taisia Mihailovna; grand grandfather of Oleg...
, is arguably the richest businessman in Moldova. His daughter is a physician, but unlike Oleg not a public figure. Vladimir Voronin on 19 February 2010 told journalists that the questioning of his son is an attempt of revenge against his family by the current authorities. Oleg Voronin is suspected of fiscal evasion and money laundering.
Honours and awards
- Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King TomislavGrand Order of King TomislavThe Grand Order of King Tomislav , or more fully the Grand Order of King Tomislav with Sash and Great Morning Star , is the highest state order of the Republic of Croatia...
("For outstanding contribution to the development and improvement of relations between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Moldova and the promotion of the European idea and the project of European integration.", 21 March 2007)