Referendum in Moldova: Chance to change the situation or president’s PR

Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) has unanimously supported President Igor Dodon’s decision to announce a nation-wide consultative referendum on country’s vital problems on September 24, 2017.

“Party of Socialists has always insisted that thieves not the people should return the billions stolen from the banking sector. PSRM has always been a party of statists advocating for restoration of ‘History of Moldova’ school subject. PSRM is the only opposition party in the parliament to urge dissolution of the parliament and snap elections like most of the country’s population do since the parliament of the 20th convocation was elected. The current authorities must leave,” the party says in a press release.

Socialists support the president’s initiative to cut the number of parliamentarians from current 101 to 71 people. “We think it will improve the performance of the legislative power and ensure substantial savings,” the party says reaffirming its readiness to promote actively the idea of the referendum throughout Moldova.

PSRP’s political rivals, such as Democratic Party of Moldova (DPM), having majority of seats in the parliament called the president’s decree on the referendum “waste of money.”

“Democratic party believes that President Dodon’s initiative on constitutional referendum is politicized and a measure of self-PR on budget funds,” says Vitalie Gamurari, the head of DPM Consultative Center.

Democratic Party is sure that “the interests of citizens should be protected in such situation.” At present, lawyers of the party are verifying the legal classification and substantiation of the referendum.

Commenting on the president’s intention to organize the referendum on the so-called “law on billion” earlier, Prime Minister Pavel Filip recalled that under the Election Code, tax and budget related issues are not set to referendum. Even if the referendum is held, he said, the law cannot be cancelled, as it has been applied already.

A pre-referendum campaign will start on July 24.

As EADaily reported earlier, on March 28 in the evening, President of Moldova Igor Dodon announced September 24, 2017 as the day of the nationwide referendum. The citizens should express their opinion concerning four issues: return of the billion theft, dissolution of the parliament, reduction of the number of parliamentarians, and restoration of the History of Moldova school subject.