FILE PHOTO: Two Moldovan national flags are seen in central Chisinau, Moldova January 19, 2019. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
CHISINAU (Reuters) - The Moldovan president's nominee for prime minister will set out his programme on Thursday to parliament, which is expected to confirm him as head of a new pro-Western government facing economic turmoil and alleged Russian meddling.
Dorin Recean, 48, was nominated on Friday by President Maia Sandu to replace ex-prime minister Natalia Gavrilita whose government resigned last week after a turbulent 18 months in office overshadowed by Russia's war in Ukraine.
Recean, a presidential aide and former interior minister, is set to outline his policy plans before the 101-seat parliament from 2.00 p.m. (1200 GMT). Lawmakers are then expected to confirm him as prime minister along with a new government.
The small former Soviet republic's pro-Western course, which includes a bid to join the European Union, will remain unchanged under the new government, Sandu has said.
Moldova's economy has been hit by the spillover effects of Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, with high energy and food prices driving consumer inflation sharply higher in 2022 and a large number of displaced persons arriving from Ukraine.
"I've decided we have to move more quickly. Now is a difficult time for the whole world. Our aim is to not only get through it, but also to develop. Moldova's security and economy needs a second wind," Sandu said.
Sandu, whose country of 2.5 million people is heavily dependent on Russian gas flows, accused Moscow on Monday of plotting to topple Moldova's leadership, stop the country joining the EU and use it in the war against Ukraine.
Russia, which has troops in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, denied the allegation.
Recean said his planned government would include only four new ministers who were not been in the old one. They included the ministers for finance, infrastructure, justice and energy, he wrote on Facebook.
Sandu's political party holds a majority of 63 seats in parliament, easily enough to secure the 51 votes required to approve a new government.
Recean is an experienced politician who has held a number of senior positions in Moldova's government and has also been serving as secretary of the Supreme Security Council.
He was interior minister from 2012 to 2015 under two prime ministers, and was the first civilian to hold the post.
(Writing by Tom Balmforth, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
