The current government wants to keep power at all costs and is now trying to use the modification of the electoral system as a lifebuoy. A joint statement to this effect was signed by the leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM), the Party “Action and Solidarity” (PAS) and the Political Party “Platform Dignity and Truth” (PPPDA). In a news conference at IPN, these said that those from the Democratic Party intend to replace the proportional electoral system with an uninominal voting system so that they easier obtain a parliamentary majority by fraud, corruption and blackmail.
“Wishing to avoid a political death and get rid of legal responsibility for their deeds and aiming to distort the people’s wish expressed in elections, the regime is trying to use the modification of the electoral system as a lifebuoy,” the leader of the PPPDA Andrei Nastase said, reading the statement.
According to the signatories, the results of the recently held elections to choose deputies on the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia are a relevant example. There, almost all the candidates in the election campaign ran as independents, but a group of the Democratic Party was formed on the Assembly overnight. “We, the representatives of opposition parties, are categorically against this attempt to compromise and distort the voters’ wish, which hides the intention of the Plahotniuc-Dodon clan to remain in power,” reads the joint statement.
PAS leader Maia Sandu said this intention to replace the electoral system has nothing to do with the strengthening of the democratic system, as they assert. “It would be ridiculous to believe that the Democratic Party is preoccupied with the strengthening of democracy in Moldova. We all understand that only the wish to keep power is hid behind this intention because they are not supported by the people and this was evident in the presidential elections and is confirmed by sociological polls,” stated Sandu.
According to the chairman of the PLDM Viorel Cibotaru, the process of modifying the electoral system should include a profound debate in society, but such a thing was omitted. As the current government is rather unpopular, while the three parties – the PAS, PPPDA and PLDM – represent the wish of half of the people, this initiative cannot be regarded as s successful project.
The signatories of the statement plead for keeping the current electoral system by making improvements to it and removing the shortcomings witnessed in the previous elections. Among the aspects that need to be improved, these mentioned the ensuring of the vote of the Moldovans from the diaspora.
The signatories called on the people to support them so that they can hamper this initiative to modify the electoral system. They asked that the competent international institutions should monitor the developments and penalize the antidemocratic deviations of the current government.
