The authorities of Taraclia district may support the initiative of holding a referendum on Moldova’s foreign policy course in Gagauzia, mayor of Taraclia Serghei Filipov has told IPN.
According to the mayor, the initiative must be supported as the proposed subjects do not concern a ‘Gagauz problem’, but rather the integrity of Moldova – to be or not to be.
The prospect of holding a referendum in the region will be discussed in the next meeting of the Taraclia District Council on December 26. The mayor expressed his conviction that the subject will be approved as the Communist Party, which has 19 votes of 27 in the Council, is for the referendum. Serghei Filipov considers that if the plebiscite takes place, more than 80% of the district’s inhabitants will vote for integration into the Customs Union.
A referendum on Moldova’s foreign course will take place in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia on February 2, 2014. Those who will take part in the plebiscite will be asked to answer two questions: “Are you for Moldova’s entry into the Eurasian Union (Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan)?”; “Are you for Moldova’s entry into the European Union?”. The decision to hold a referendum aroused criticism on the part of the central authorities. According to them, the administration of Gagauzia breaks the law when it puts up problems of national importance for referendum. For their part, representatives of Comrat say the referendum is consultative in character.
