Prime Minister requests annulment of local referendum in Balti

Prime Minister Vlad Filat requested the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of the Interior to investigate the violation of legal norms by the Balti Municipal Council, which voted today, July 26, for a referendum which seeks to expand local autonomy. The referendum was scheduled for September 9, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to a press release of the Government, the Prime Minister also requested the head of State Chancellery’s local office in Balti to appeal the Council’s decision after it comes to effect, considering the serious violations of legislation committed when it was adopted. The Prime Minister labels the decision as illegal and demands that all necessary measures are taken to annul it. Political analyst Anatol Taranu told Info-Prim Neo that the decision of local councilors in Balti was influenced by the decisions of the Communist Party. “The Communist leader said it plainly that they will urge people to riot and put an end to this government. He talked about disobedience and called people to rebel. Considering this, what happened in Balti fits perfectly in the Communists’ plans”, said Anatol Taranu. He doubts that those councilors actually understand what autonomy means or what they want. “When questioned, they didn’t know what to answer, which means that they simply followed orders from Chisinau. The authorities must do everything possible to prevent a riot”, said Anatol Taranu. Vitalie Catana, constitutional law expert, stated in an interview with Publika TV that this was most likely a move for image’s sake, because the issue of granting autonomy to a municipality would require a nationwide referendum. The expert added that the Constitution should be amended and that a whole procedure would have to be followed, which is impossible until September.