U.S., EU urge Moldova to use 'restraint' as its president is removed from power

June 9 (UPI) -- International bodies called on Moldova to use restraint Sunday after its court suspended the European country's president and snap elections were called by his replacement.

On Sunday, a Moldovan court suspended President Igor Dodon and appointed former Prime Minister Pavel Filip as interim president who then called for elections to be held Sept. 6, Euro News reported.

The suspension comes a day after a coalition government was announced between Dodon's Russian-backed Socialist party and the Union A.C.U.M. bloc, which is pro European Union.

Maia Sandu, who was to be prime minister under the coalition government, chastised the court in a speech by reminding it that "politicians come and go, but you are the ones who truly govern this country," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

The turmoil is the result of confusion over a Moldovan law that states that if parliament fails to create a government within three months of elections, the president has the right to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

However, the February elections were certified March 9, meaning the deadline to form a new government was believed to be Sunday. But the Constitutional Court on Friday said the 90 days expired June 7.

The United States urged the former Soviet bloc country to use "restraint" on Sunday and for all parties to come together and agree on a path forward.

"The will of the Moldovan people as expressed in those elections must be respected without interference," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "Ensuring a prosperous and democratic future for Moldova and its citizens is a shared goal the United States will continue to support."

The Council of Europe, a leading human rights organization, questioned the motives behind the Moldovan court's decision to suspend Dodon while calling on all political parties and actors to practice "restraint."

"Recent decisions of the Constitutional Court are difficult to understand and seem to be arbitrary in the light of the text of the Constitution and of international rule of law standards," Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said in a statement.

He said in light of the recent developments an objective voice was needed and requested an "urgent opinion" from the Venice Commission, which is comprised of 61-member states and is the council's advisory body on constitutional matters.

The European Union on Sunday also called for dialogue between the elected representatives, which it says is the "key to finding a solution to the current political crisis."

In the joint statement, EU Vice President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn also applauded Moldova on having formed its coalition government, stating it was "ready to work with the democratically legitimate government, on basis of mutual commitment to reforms and to the core principles enshrined in our Association Agreement."

On Sunday, Dodon said on Facebook he welcomes the EU's statement and is ready to "work well with all branches of power, including parliament and government, both in internal politics and in external."