The head of the Moldovan community in Québec Ala Mandacanu considers there are not many expats who are informed about or are interested in the referendum initiated by Igor Dodon given that it is summer and the people are on leave, at the seaside and in the mountains. Interviewed by IPN, the representative of the diaspora said she is convinced that thise referendum is not necessary and this is initiated not for those who left home in the hope of a better life.
Ala Mandacanu said she found out about the possibility of registering beforehand to vote in the referendum from news articles and from the message of the Bureau for Diaspora Relations. She examined the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova to learn about the referendum and found two article that seem to run counter to each other at first sight. The first says Parliament has the power to declare a referendum, while the second says the President can ask the people to state their opinions on problems of national interest in a referendum. “I understood that only Parliament can declare a referendum, while the President can initiate a consultative referendum which should be endorsed by Parliament. I know that the President issued a special decree. And I’m now bewildered: either Parliament adopted a law on the referendum of September 24, 2017 and keeps it secret or the Central Election Commission made the announcement based on the decree only, ignoring article 66 (b) of the Constitution. As news agencies provide information about the costs of such a process, I assume it is the Government that prepared the given decision and I know that this cannot be implemented without the Parliament’s consent. Something is not clear here and I do not understand the essence of the problem. We will yet find out,” stated Ala Mandacanu.
“There is something else. Will this so-called referendum that nobody wanted and requested because it raises no issues of strategic importance for the Republic of Moldova be an ordinary or a consultative one? What is its status and what follows next? How many people with the right to vote should take part in this for it to be validated? We have more questions than answers. I consider this is not welcome. But it is my personal opinion. Maybe our people want more than anything to offer the President additional powers to amend the Constitution so that Moldova is turned from a parliamentary republic into a presidential one. There is something else – putting four so different questions that lack logical connection in one referendum is not something serious.”
The head of the Moldovan community in Québec considers this is non-dissimulated manipulation, especially because each question is related to a different area – one to the theft of the billion (economy), one to additional powers for the President (modification of state structure), one to the reduction in the number of MPs (legislature) and the fourth to the teaching of history (education). “But there is no question about the amendment of the Election Code that is so discussed now. I’ve got the impression that the people are considered to be mentally retarded, who say “yes” to everything. I cannot imagine such a “referendum” in France or the U.S.,” said Ala Mandacanu.
As to the registration beforehand (July 11 – August 9) of the citizens with the right to vote, who will be abroad on the referendum day, the representative of the diaspora said this procedure will be a total failure. Not many people registered to vote in the presidential elections on the CEC’s website and it is highly improbable that the Moldovans abroad will register in a higher number now.
President Igor Dodon at the end of March signed a decree to hold a national consultative referendum on September 24 this year. This will include four questions, about the conversion of the emergency loans provided by the National Bank of Moldova to three bankrupt banks into a state debt, offering of additional powers to the President to dissolve Parliament in other conditions than the current one, opportuneness of reducing the number of MPs from 101 to 71 and teaching of the History of Moldova course in schools.
During July 11 – August 9, the Moldovans eligible to vote, who will be abroad on the referendum day, can register beforehand to be able to vote through www.alegator.md or by submitting a written application to Moldova’s embassy or consular office in the country where they are. Those who will register beforehand will be automatically struck off the voter rolls at the place of domicile in Moldova, but only for this year’s referendum. According to the Central Election Commission, the move is aimed at enabling to determine the estimative number of voters abroad so as to establish additional polling places there.
