The notion of referendum has got a negative connotation recently and is used by the Communist Party (PCRM) as a tool for threatening. However, conflict expert Andrei Iovu told Info-Prim Neo that the referendum was essentially a democratic exercise of consulting people’s opinion. The expert commented on the Communists’ statement that they wouldn’t stop and would organize referenda in a number of localities throughout the country. “The referendum is a form of consulting the people regarding one of the state’s or society’s problems. For organizing referenda in more localities, they must study each situation and focus the referendum on the most urgent matters”, explained Andrei Iovu. He says that organizing a referendum is essentially a good thing, but the referendum must ask people to decide on problems of maximum importance. People can’t be asked to decide always, as this is the competence of local and central elected officials. “Only really important issues require a referendum. It doesn’t solve problems. For this, other mechanisms must be applied, like policies”, said Andrei Iovu. He observed that the notion of referendum itself got a pejorative connotation and is used as a tool for threatening. Andrei Iovu thinks that this is a result of the recent developments in Moldova and Romania. He remarked that the situation on the other side of the Prut River proves that a referendum didn’t always obtain the desired results. “There are a series of impediments that may hinder this process, starting from the simple fact that voters may not show up at the polling stations”, explained Andrei Iovu. The expert claims that the statements about organizing referenda throughout the country are a bluff of the Communists’ Party. “Their declarations that they will organize referenda in 1528 localities sound more like a mission impossible than something attainable. In other words, these statements are meant to draw attention, to fuel discussions in society and to use the notion of referendum in a pejorative sense and as a threat. Not everyone understands what this often-used word referendum means. Both in Moldova and Romania, it has a negative connotation and is used as a political tool”, concluded Andrei Iovu. On Thursday, August 2, the representatives of the Communists’ Party declared they would not give up the referendum tool, even if the Balti Municipal Council could renounce to organize a referendum for increasing local autonomy. The Communist councilors in Balti had decided to organize a referendum in September, but the Mayor of Balti said he would propose to cancel the referendum after the Government approved a draft law which would raise the Balti Municipality to a status similar to the capital.