The assembly to constitute the initiative group for initiating the legislative referendum on the annulment of the mixed-member electoral system will be held at the National Philharmonic “Sergey Lunkevich” in Chisinau on December 17, starting at 10am. Representatives of the civil society organizations that announced the initiative called on all those who support it to register on numixt.com or to come to the Philharmonic this Sunday to say “No” to the mixed voting system.
In a news conference at IPN, Valeriu Pasa, “WatchDog” expert, called on all the supporters of the initiative to come on Sunday with the identity card and a copy of this for being registered. There will be compiled two lists: the list of participants in the constitution assembly and the list of members of the initiative group that will consist of those who want to take part in the collection of signatures. “I make again a call as it is a chance for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova to abrogate a law given that the parliamentary majority does not represent the people and does not have legitimacy to adopt such an important law that legalizes the choice of MPs,” stated Valeriu Pasa.
To create the initiative group, the assembly should involve at least 300 citizens with the right to vote, 100 of whom should later form part of the initiative group for collecting signatures. Later, the required documents will be submitted to the Central Election Commission to have the initiative group registered. If the CEC registers the group, this will have to collect at least 200,000 signatures in favor of holding the referendum during 2-3 months.
Transparency International Moldova executive director Lilia Carasciuc said what is happening in Moldova in terms of transparency is a situation of political monopoly. “Our initiative is aimed at removing the monopoly and at creating conditions for any alternative party. This is not a simple mixed system. It is a diabolic system with the establishment of constituencies, rounds of voting with so-called independent candidates who evidently will be supported by those who govern for being later captured,” stated Lilia Carasciuc.
Stefan Gligor, programs director at the Center for Politics and Reforms, said on July 20 this year the people were deprived of the last right based on which they could give grades to the government once in four years. The introduction of the mixed system eliminates any chance of having representative and fair elections.
“If the next parliamentary elections are held according to the mixed system that was introduced by the votes of the Democrats and the Socialists, the poverty and misery will continue for another four years. No money of the stolen US$ 1 billion will be restored and we will not get rid of the schemes applied in the energy sector and of corruption at all levels. Let’s make use of our constitutional rights and become involved in the collection of signatures to say “No” to the mixed system!” urged civic activist Sergiu Tofilat.
Political analyst Victor Ciobanu said the Public Opinion Barometer showed the mixed system is supported by only 16% of the respondents. “A responsible government that suggests a bill and sees that this is not supported by the people will withdraw it. This has been our suggestion from the start,” he stated, giving the example of Romania and Ukraine that abandoned the mixed system and switched over to the proportional representation system, with open lists.
As the symbol of the initiative is the martsishor, the initiators called upon all the supporters to wear the amulet at chest at the constitution assembly.
