Representatives of opposition parties, their sympathizers and representatives of civil society on May 7 staged a protest against the introduction of a new electoral system in front of the Parliament Building. The protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that the MPs passed the two bills – on the uninominal voting system and on the mixed-member system – in the first reading and then decided to merge them, IPN reports.
Liberal-Democratic MP Tudor Deliu said the two proposals defy the rule of law principles. He noted he took to the streets to oppose from the wrongdoings committed in Parliament from the street as well.
“These people crossed all the red lines and, if we do not stop them now, we will no longer have chances to return things to normality during many years on,” said the leader of the Party “Action and Solidarity” Maia Sandu.
Deputy chairman of “Our Party” Ilian Casus noted the protest is against the attempts by the mafia duo Plahotniuc-Dodon to change the electoral system. “Our main objective is to completely block any attempt to amend the electoral system because everyone realizes that Dodon proposed this bill only to politically advantage Plahotniuc and to enable him to practice political corruption and the formation of coalitions in Parliament,” said Casu.
Transparency International Moldova president Lilia Carasciuc said that if the politicians do not do their homework, they must leave the government. The politicians count on the society’s division as they hope the people will not be able to riposte. The civic activist called on civil society and the opposition to oppose the modification of the electoral system.
Association of Independent Press executive director Petru Macovei said the politicians play hidden games and these bills voted in the absence of decisional transparency are a proof of this.
The protesters said they will mount a massive demonstration in the Great National Assembly Square, but didn’t specify when.
On May 5, Parliament adopted in the first reading the Democrats’ bill to introduce the uninominal voting system instead of the party-list proportional representation system and later the Socialists’ bill on the mixed-member electoral system, proposed by President Igor Dodon. Afterward, the two proposals were merged, with the latter being taken as a basis.
