Representatives of civil society organization request to withdraw the bill to change the electoral system that was adopted by Parliament in the first reading on May 5. These plan to daily mount protests in front of the Parliament Building so as to express their dissatisfaction with this proposal and will demand that the current electoral system should be kept.
In a news conference at IPN, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Arcadie Barbarosie said that attempts are made in a captured state to introduce a voting system that will consolidate the power of one oligarch through MPs who will be fully controlled by this.
Vladislav Gribincea, director of the Legal Resources Center, said this bill will create preconditions for maintaining two parties in power, undermining thus democracy and preventing the appearance of new parties.
Transparency International Moldova president Lilia Carasciuc said that the rulers declared they will not approve changes and will not take decisions in a hurry, but the reality is different. That’s why it is the duty of civil society to react to the wrongdoings committed by the rulers and the people should take to the streets to defend their rights.
Executive director of Promo-LEX Association Ion Manole said the debates on the modification of the electoral system held in Parliament were orchestrated. The hurry in which those changes were adopted was evident. If they continue to insist on the replacement of the system, this law should be implemented not earlier than in 2022 so as not to allow the politicians to build ways to the next legislature.
Association of Independent Press director Petru Macovei said society was witness to the situation of the start of 2016, when the Filip Government was installed. Then they promised that governance will be transparent, but it is actually not.
Journalist Natalia Morari stated that owing to the situation in the county many young people either left or intend to leave the country. Activist Valeriu Pasa said it does not matter how many people will take to the streets to protest against the proposed changes. What matters is the action and the message intended for those who sit in Parliament. Singer Pasha Parfeni said the politicians initiated a dirty game where the freedom of expression and the opinions of people no longer matters.
Programs director at the Center for Politics and Reforms Dumitru Alaiba condemned the arrogance with which those who dare to say that they do not like the adopted laws are treated. The rulers are trying to annihilate the measures taken against their actions, instead of discussing with people.
Expert Sergiu Tofilat noted that what happened in Parliament on May 5 was a vote for the law on the buying of MPs or the law on the privatization of Parliament. “I do not want to cry or to clap when they will order the murder of Mister Plahotniuc. I do not want to live in a North Korea,” he stated.
The representatives of civil society plan to stage protests against the modification of the electoral system before the Parliament Building every day, starting at 5pm. On May 14, a large-scale protest will be mounted in the Great National Assembly Square of Chisinau, at twelve noon.
