Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: none
former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

Data code MD

Government type republic

National capital Chisinau

Administrative divisions previously divided into 40 rayons; new districts possible under new constitution of 1994

Independence 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday Independence Day, 27 August 1991

Constitution new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and OSCE documents

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Petru LUCINSCHI (since 15 January 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Ion CIUBUC (since 15 January 1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Ion GUTU (since NA April 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 1996; runoff election 1 December 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament
election results: Petru LUCINSCHI ran against Mircea SNEGUR and was elected president; percent of vote - LUCINSCHI 54%, SNEGUR 46%; Prime Minister Ion CIUBUC was appointed by the president 15 January 1997 and was elected by a parliamentary vote of 75-15 on 24 January 1997

Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (104 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 February 1994 (next to be held 22 March 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDAM 56, Socialist/Yedinstvo Bloc 28, Peasants and Intellectuals Bloc 11, FPCDM 9; note - seats as of June-July 1995 were as follows: PDAM 45, PSM/UN 28, Peasants and Intellectuals Bloc 11, PRCM 11, FPCDM 9
note: the comparative breakdown of seats by faction is approximate

Judicial branch Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic Popular Front or FPCDM (formerly Moldovan Popular Front) [Iurie ROSCA, chairman]; Socialist Unity Faction or US of the Socialist Party of Moldova or PSM; Social Democratic Party of Moldova or PSDM [Oazu NANTOI, chairman]; Agrarian Democratic Party of Moldova or PDAM [Dumitru MOTPAN, chairman]; Peasants and Intellectuals Bloc [Lidia ISTRATI, chairwoman]; Liberal Party of Moldova or PLM [Mircea RUSU, chairman]; Socialist Party of Moldova or PSM [Valeriu SENIC and Victor MOREV, cochairmen]; Party of Rivival and Conciliation of Moldova or PRCM [Mircea SNEGUR, chairman]; Moldovan Party of Democratic Forces or PFDM [Valeriu MATEI, chairman]; Party for Social Progress or PPSM [Eugen SOBOR, chairman]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONTIN, first chairman]; Civic Unity [Vladimir SOLONARI]; Moldovan National Peasant Party or PNTM [Simeon CERTAN]; Party of People's Social Justice [Maricica LITVITCHI]; Party for a Democratic and Prosperous Moldova or PMDP [Dumitru DIACOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders The Ecology Movement of Moldova or EMM [Alecu RENITSA, chairman]; The Christian Democratic League of Women of Moldova or CDLWM [Lidia ISTRATI, chairwoman]; National Christian Party of Moldova or NCPM [V. NIKU, leader]; The Peoples Movement Gagauz Khalky or GKh [S. GULGAR, leader]; The Democratic Party of Gagauzia or DPG [G. SAVOSTIN, chairman]; The Alliance of Working People of Moldova or AWPM [G. POLOGOV, president]; Liberal Convention of Moldova (now the Liberal Party); Association of Victims of Repression [Alexander USATIUC]; Christian Democratic Youth Organization [Valeriu BARBA]; National Youth League [Valeriu STRELETS]; Union of Youth of Moldova [Petru GAVTON]

International organization participation ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae TAU
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador John Todd STEWART
embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevicie #103, Chisinau 277014
mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address - American Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080
telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72, RNX 548 (plus extension)
FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44

Flag description same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

NOTE: The information regarding Moldova on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Moldova Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Moldova Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.