Vlad Filat

The Moldovan government and its British counterpart agreed on Tuesday that illicit funds confiscated by the British courts from Luca Filat, the son of former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat, will be returned to Moldova.

A London judge has ordered the forfeiture of three frozen bank accounts belonging to the 22-year-old son of Moldova's former prime minister, Vlad Filat, who was jailed for corruption in 2016.

Moldova's government appointed a new defence minister on Tuesday after a lengthy row over the post between the pro-European, Democratic Party-led cabinet and pro-Russian President Igor Dodon.

Eugen Sturza, 32, was sworn in at a ceremony at the presidential palace led by parliament speaker Andrian Candu, acting as interim president while Dodon was briefly suspended.

Bucharest has voiced concerns about continuing political uncertainty in Moldova after its  president and a coalition of political parties failed to reach a compromise agreement over who will become the country's next prime minister.

Romanians have welcomed news that Moldovan President Nicolae Timofit has asked Ion Sturza, a wealthy pro-Western businessman who also has Romanian citizenship, to form a new government.

"This is a good news as Sturza has a clear a pro-European outlook. The problem is that he has to form a new political majority in Moldova, which is not easy,"  journalist Cristian Pantazi said.

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.

Romania expressed concern about the continuing political uncertainty in the neighbouring country after former Moldovan prime minister and leader of the ruling pro-European coalition, Vlad Filat, was detained on Thursday on suspicion of involvement in a $1.5 billion bank fraud.

Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (LDPM) and former Prime Minister Vlad Filat considers that the parliamentary elections taking place on Sunday in the Republic of Moldova are the most important voting event since the country's obtaining independence in 1991.

President-elect Klaus Iohannis pays a visit to Chisinau on Friday, on which occasion he will meet Republic of Moldova President Nicolae Timofti and Democratic Liberal Party Chairman Vlad Filat.

Klaus Iohannis will be accompanied by National Liberal Party (PNL) Co-Chairman Vasile Blaga and by Liberals' First Deputy Chairman Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu.