Igor Dodon

Igor Dodon
5th President of Moldova
Assumed office
23 December 2016
Prime Minister Pavel Filip
Preceded by Nicolae Timofti
First Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova
In office
31 March 2008 – 14 September 2009
Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanîi
Preceded by Zinaida Greceanîi
Succeeded by Iurie Leancă
Minister of Economy and Trade of Moldova
In office
18 September 2006 – 14 September 2009
Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanîi
Preceded by Valeriu Lazăr
Succeeded by Valeriu Lazăr
Personal details
Born (1975-02-18) 18 February 1975
Sadova, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union (now Moldova)
Political party Party of Communists (Before 2011)
Party of Socialists (2011–2016)
Independent (2016–present)
Spouse(s) Galina Dodon (m. 1999)
Children 3 (Vlad, Nicolae, and Bogdan)
Alma mater Agricultural State University of Moldova
Website Official website

Igor Dodon[lower-alpha 1] (pronounced [ˈiɡor doˈdon]; born 18 February 1975) is a Moldovan politician who has been the President of Moldova since 23 December 2016. Previously he was the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova. He served as Minister of Trade and Economics in the governments of Vasile Tarlev and Zinaida Greceanîi from September 2006 to September 2009 and was a member of the Parliament of Moldova from 2009 to 2016.

Biography

Igor Dodon was born on 18 February 1975 in Sadova village in the Călărași District of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic to Nikolai (died 2012[3]) and Galina Dodon. He studied economics at the Agricultural State University of Moldova and received a doctorate in 1998 from the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova.[4] From 1997 to 2005, he worked as an assistant professor and lecturer in the academic field.[5] This is where he would meet his wife Galina in May 1995.[6]

Besides his wife, Dodon has three children who are all boys.[7][8] Aside from his native Romanian, he also speaks Russian, French, and English.[9]

On 9 September 2018, Dodon was involved in a car accident on the Chisinau-Călărași highway. Although Dodon wasn't injured himself, his mother and his middle son Nicolae sustained serious injuries.[10][11] His accident came hours after Abkhazian Prime Minister Gennadi Gagulia was killed in a car accident in the Abkhazian city of Myussera.

Political career

Laying wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow.

Dodon was appointed to the post of Associate Minister of Trade and Economics in May 2005, during the second Tarlev Cabinet. He assumed the position of Minister of Trade and Economics in September 2006. He held the position until September 2009, when the government of Zinaida Greceanîi ended. Dodon also held the post of Associate Prime Minister under Greceanîi from 2008 until 2009.[12]

In June 2011, Dodon lost to Dorin Chirtoacă in the election for mayor of Chișinău. He took 49.4% of the vote.[13]

In November 2011, Dodon left the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) citing hopes that a deal could be worked out with the ruling Alliance for European Integration to elect a president and end a constitutional crisis that had dragged on since the resignation of Vladimir Voronin in 2009.[14] Greceanîi and Veronica Abramciuc left at the same time.[15][16] On 18 December 2011, Dodon joined the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) and was elected chairman of the party.[17][18]

Dodon with Vadim Krasnoselsky.

On 16 March 2012, three former communists (Dodon, Greceanîi and Abramciuc) voted for the Alliance for European Integration (AIE) candidate Nicolae Timofti as President of Moldova. Later, Dodon stated that he regretted his vote for Timofti.[19][20]

After he was elected as the President of Moldova, due to specifics of Moldovan law, Dodon resigned as PSRM chairman and left the party, being replaced by Zinaida Greceanîi as interim leader.[21]

Political views

Igor Dodon is considered a pro-Russian politician and in favor of the federalization of Moldova.[22][23]

Controversies

The proposed flag for Moldova by PCRM and PSRM

In 2010, the Party of Communists (PCRM) started promoting a new official flag for Moldova.[24] In March 2012, Igor Dodon and the Party of Socialists (PSRM) invited PCRM to initiate a referendum to change the national flag of Moldova from the original tricolour (similar to Romania's, except charged with Moldova's coat of arms) to a red-blue bicolor flag.[25][26] The proposed flag is considered by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova as a "pure political invention".[24]

Igor Dodon and Vladimir Putin, 2017

In November 2012, Dodon posted on his Facebook profile a photo that shows him wearing clothes printed with a patch of the Russian flag, which was criticized as a sign of Dodon's alleged Russophilia.[27]

In November 2014, the socialist politician of Russian ethnicity Valentin Crîlov accused Igor Dodon of being an "instrument of scenarios that would cause 'bloodshed' in Moldova", and labeled the Party of Socialists as "being in the service of another country" such as Russia. He also accused the party of becoming a threat to the "stability, peace and the very existence" of the Republic of Moldova and its extraordinarily large base of financial resources — the origin of which bear "reasonable doubt".[28][29]

In October 2016, during the presidential election campaign, Igor Dodon affirmed that Crimea, the subject of a territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine, "is a territory of the Russian Federation".[30][31] In January 2017 Dodon stated that Moldova would not officially recognize Crimea as Russian, stressing that "we need to build friendships with Ukraine, we need to solve the Transnistrian problem."[32]

On 17 October 2017, the Constitutional Court of Moldova decided that Dodon is temporarily unable to perform his duties for failing to swear in proposed Defence Minister Eugen Sturza.[33]

On 2 January 2018, the Constitutional Court of Moldova decided that Dodon is temporarily unable to perform his duties for failing to swear in a number of seven ministers.[34]

Several days later the Constitutional Court once again temporarily suspended Dodon, due to his veto on a bill on restricting Russian news broadcasts. This allowed the parliament to bypass his veto and enact a law restricting Russian television broadcasts.[35] The law bans television channels from broadcasting news and analytical programs from countries that have not signed the regional agreement for the European Broadcasting Area, such as Russia.[35]

Presidency

Dodon in Baku, Azerbaijan in June 2017.
Dodon with Putin, Mohammad bin Salman, Nikol Pashinyan and Nursultan Nazarbayev at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Russia.
Dodon attending the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final in July 2018.

Dodon was sworn in on December 23, 2016 in the Palace of the Republic.[36] Three days later, the flag of the European Union that was hanging next to the Moldovan flag was removed from the building of the Moldovan presidential administration. On January 4, 2017, in the Dodon met with the President of the breakaway republic of Transnistria Vadim Krasnoselsky. This meeting was the first meeting of the leaders of Moldova and Transnistria in 8 years.[37] His first two international visits were to Moscow, and Brussels.[38][39] In 2018, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was the first foreign head of state to meet Dodon in Moldova.[40] Dodon has also acted to make the Russian language mandatory in Moldovan schools.[41]

On May 5, 2018, Dodon announced a campaign, which would bring legislation into parliament, which would transition Moldova from a Parliamentary Republic to a Presidential Republic.[42]

In early September 2018, Dodon was in a motorcade travelling near Strășeni when a non-articulated medium truck, travelling in the opposite direction on a two-lane road, in rain, crossed to the wrong side of the road and collided with Dodon’s car and a following official vehicle. Dodon received scratches in the incident, but was not hospitalised.[43] Later that month, he was again suspended from his duties for not approving the candidate for Minister of Health.[44]

Position on Transnistria

Dodon has regularly changed his stance on the future of Transnistria. At the beginning of his presidency, he suggested that Moldova be federalized. Currently, Dodon believes that the region should receive autonomous status like Gagauzia. In regards withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers, Dodon supports the Moldovan parliament on this issue.[45]

Notes

  1. ↑ Unofficially also with patronymic as Igor Nicolaevici Dodon (pronounced [ˌnikolaˈe.vitʃʲ]), as a Romanianization of the full former Soviet (Russian) name.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ "Separatismul lui Dodon, scos la suprafață de consilierul său - VOXPUBLIKA". VOXPUBLIKA (in Romanian). 2015-03-25. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Cotul Dodonului. Ziua în care Basarabia a ales un președinte pro-rus". PressOne. 2016-11-14. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  3. ↑ PUBLIKA.MD - AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE. "Great joy in Sadova, native village of newly elected president Dodon | PUBLIKA .MD - AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE". en.publika.md. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Обо мне « Igor Dodon". Web.archive.org. 2010-12-31. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "BIOGRAFIE: Igor Dodon, un politician prorus care se declară promotor al valorilor tradiţionale". Mediafax.ro. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "FOTO Cum arăta Igor Dodon la 24 de ani, în ziua nunţii sale". m.adevarul.ro. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Dupa 3 baieti, mai vrea si... fete. Igor Dodon si-a adus baietelul si sotia acasa" (in Romanian). PRO TV.
  8. ↑ "Ce frumos! Uite ce DECLARATIE de DRAGOSTE i-a facut Igor Dodon sotiei" (in Romanian). Actualitati.md.
  9. ↑ "Biography of President of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon". presedinte.md.
  10. ↑ ȘTIRILE, PUBLIKA.MD - AICI SUNT (2018-09-09). "Președintele Igor Dodon, implicat într-un grav accident de circulație. Imaginile cu MOMENTUL ACCIDENTULUI". PUBLIKA.MD - AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE (in Romanian). Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Додон госпитализирован после ДТП". Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Профессия « Igor Dodon". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  13. ↑ Politic Versiune pentru tipar. "CEC a anunţat rezultatele finala la Chişinău - Moldova Azi". Azi.md. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "Трое на выход". Interfax.ru. 4 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "Party defections could let Moldova name president - World". Reuters. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "(video) Dodon, Greceanîi și Abramciuc părăsesc fracțiunea PCRM și sunt gata să voteze președintele țării". Unimedia.md. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "Игорь Додон стал членом Партии социалистов". News.mail.ru. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  18. ↑ "(UPDATE) Игорь Додон избран председателем Партии социалистов". Ru.publika.md. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  19. ↑ 62 de deputați l-au votat pe N. Timofti. Urmează decizia de VALIDARE a Curții Constituționale. TIMPUL. 16 martie 2012
  20. ↑ Dodon regretă că l-a votat pe Timofti în calitate de președinte. UNIMEDIA.info. 22 martie 2013
  21. ↑ Decis! Igor Dodon nu mai este președinte al PSRM. Zinaida Greceanîi va deține interimatul, unimedia.info
  22. ↑ Higgins, Andrew (30 October 2016). "Pro-Russian Candidate Leads Moldova Presidential Vote but Faces Runoff". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  23. ↑ "Moldova presidential election appears headed to runoff". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  24. 1 2 „Steagul lui Ştefan ce Mare”, o nouă invenţie propagandistică promovată de PCRM (in Romanian)
  25. ↑ Socialiștii doresc referendum pentru a schimba „tricolorul românesc” și așteaptă susținerea comuniștilor (in Romanian)
  26. ↑ "Igor Dodon vrea REFERENDUM pentru a SCHIMBA steagul tricolor al R. Moldova". Timpul - Știri din Moldova.
  27. ↑ "HotNews.md / Istorii din MD / FOTO - Igor Dodon în ipostaze ȘOCANTE". hotnews.md.
  28. ↑ ""A pus "Partidul Socialiștilor", accentuez, "din R. Moldova", nu în relații de parteneriat, ci în serviciul altei țări"". Ziarul de Gardă.
  29. ↑ Igor Dodon prezintă pericol mare pentru pacea și stabilitatea din Moldova, Valentin Crîlov. Alegeri 2014, ipn.md
  30. ↑ Dodon: Crimeea este teritoriu al Federației Ruse at timpul.md (in Romanian)
  31. ↑ "Moldovan presidential race leader says Crimea "Russian"". Unian.info. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  32. ↑ (in Ukrainian) In Moldova, now no one will go to Russian recognition of Crimea - Dodon, Ukrayinska Pravda (17 January 2017)
  33. ↑ "Moldova president may be suspended for not naming minister". ABC News. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  34. ↑ Moldova, Constitutional Court of the Republic of (2 January 2018). "News /". Constcourt.md. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  35. 1 2 "Moldovan leader's powers suspended to enact Russian TV curbs". Reuters. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  36. ↑ "Молдова: выиграл Додон, победил Плахотнюк - Рабкор.ру". Rabkor.ru. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  37. ↑ "Впервые за восемь лет состоялась встреча лидеров Молдавии и Приднестровья. Новости. Первый канал". 1tv.ru. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  38. ↑ "17 января состоятся переговоры Владимира Путина с Президентом Молдовы Игорем Додоном". Kremlin.ru. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  39. ↑ "Moldovan president meets European Commission Vice President". Prm.md. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  40. ↑ "Igor Dodon îl așteaptă în vizită pe președintele din Belarus, Aliaxandr Lukașenka". Radio Europa Liberă. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  41. ↑ "Russian should be mandatory in schools, says Moldovan president". 27 March 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  42. ↑ "Transition to presidential republic to be initiated in Moldova soon". Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  43. ↑ Moldovan President Igor Dodon hurt after being run off road in crash with truck, Associated Press/ ABC News Online, 2018-09-10
  44. ↑ "Moldova strips country's pro-Russia president of his powers". The Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  45. ↑ "Is it worthy ceding Transnistria to "neutral" Moldova?: EADaily". Retrieved 9 September 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Nicolae Timofti		 President of Moldova
2016–present		 Incumbent
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