Democratic Party of Moldova

Moldova's government will have seven new members, and only four ministers will keep their seats in a surprise reshuffle announced on Tuesday by the leader of the ruling of the Democratic Party of Moldova, PDM, Vlad Plahotniuc.

He explained that the PDM wants a more "technocratic" and professional government as well as more feminine representation, with four women in the new cabinet.

A survey by the Washington-based non-profit International Republican Institute, coordinated by US performance-based consulting company Gallup Organization, reveals that far more people want the country to join the European Union than its Kremlin-backed alternative.

The parliament of Moldova passed a vote of no confidence in the country's pro-European coalition government.

A total of 65 out of 101 MPs voted in favour of the censure motion on Thursday, TASS news agency informs.

The Parliament in Chisinau will discuss on Friday a draft bill granting a status of a 'national-cultural region' to Taraclia, an area in southwestern Moldova with predominantly ethnic Bulgarian population, BGNES reported.

Taraclia is home to more than 30,000 ethnic Bulgarians - the largest ethnic Bulgarian community in Moldova.