Communists propose referendum on November 18

The Communist parliamentary group has submitted a formal proposal to Parliament to hold a referendum on Moldova's accession to the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union on November 18, demanding that an extraordinary meeting is convened to consider the proposal, Info-Prim Neo reports. Communist leader Vladimir Voronin told a news conference today that the Moldovans would be asked at the referendum whether they would agree with the adoption of a law which would enable Moldova to endorse the treaties founding the Eurasian Economic Community and the Customs Union. In case of a positive outcome of the referendum, the Moldovan President would be required to initiate, within three months, negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Community and the Customs Union institutions on Moldova's accession to the organizations in question, and the Government would be required to submit, within six months, proposals to harmonize the legislation accordingly. “We really hope that Parliament will not just assemble for a plenary meeting, but will also endorse the decision on the referendum. Any attempt to elude this meeting will represent a serious violation of law. As concerns the decision on the referendum itself, we think that it should not concern the government, which professes to be a democratic one”, stated Vladimir Voronin. Earlier a number of MPs representing parliamentary parties said they would not attend the meeting called by the Communists.