Moldova’s Constitutional Court on June 19 ruled as unconstitutional the radical opposition Shor Party, which has organised protests against the pro-EU authorities for months.

MPs from the Shor Party will continue their mandates but as independent deputies without the right to join other factions. The situation is similar with representatives of the party in local government bodies at all levels, including the Gagauzia region, where the Shor party recently won the elections for governor.

Three of the court’s five members voted in favour of declaring the party unconstitutional. The court’s decision was based on three counts: the illegal actions of some of the Shor Party’s members (mainly its founder Ilan Shor and deputy head Marina Tauber), the repeated illegal financing of the party and the statements of some of its members indicating “a desire to overthrow the constitutional order”, court member Domnica Manole explained.

The party was identified by US and EU as promoting actions aimed at undermining the stability in the country, in favour of and with the support of Russian entities.

The impact on the fragile political balance in Moldova remains unclear.

Party officials announced they will continue to work and they are broadly expected to use a “clone party” named Renaissance, prepared in advance by Shor’s people.

The Shor Party was founded by and holds the name of Ilan Shor – the most visible of those involved in the so-called “$1bn bank fraud” that cost the public budget the equivalent of 12% of the country’s annual GDP.

Having received a 15-year sentence, Shor is hiding in Israel while still leading major street protests against the pro-EU authorities in Chisinau.

Shor announced that his team would appeal the court’s decision at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

"I assure you that we will defend in the ECHR our right provided for by the Constitution of Moldova and international agreements to which our country is a party. And after we win the case at ECHR, we will demand that all those who participated in this illegal process, who denied us fundamental rights, be brought to justice. None of the perpetrators of this lawlessness will escape responsibility," Shor wrote on his Facebook page on June 19.

The Party of Socialists (PSRM) and the Party of Communists (PCRM) condemned the decision of the Constitutional Court that outlawed the Shor Party. Representatives of the opposition believe that this is "a dangerous precedent with grave consequences for the political system of Moldova”.