CHISINAU. Dec 18 (Interfax) - The Republican Council of Moldova's opposition Party of Socialists has refused to recognize Maia Sandu as the country's legitimately elected president.
The Party of Socialists has adopted a statement, saying that it does not recognize the results of "the so-called constitutional referendum on European integration", which it said the authorities had no right to hold on the same day as the presidential election.
"It is impossible to salvage Moldova from the imminent catastrophe without holding an early parliamentary election and without the departure of the entire group of Maia Sandu and [Party of Action and Solidarity] PAS from power," it said.
"The wellbeing of the people of Moldova, the development of its economy is impossible unless the problem of the country's energy supply is resolved. The only sensible strategy for Moldova is to revive the practice of concluding long-term gas supply contracts with Gazprom or any other supplier that sets a lower price for gas," the Party of Socialists said.
Sandu won the presidential election runoff on November 3, beating former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo, nominated by the Party of Socialists.