The Central Election Commission registered an initiative group that will collect signatures for a local referendum on the dismissal of the mayor of Cristești village of Nisporeni district, IPN reports.

According to the CEC’s decision, the 28 members of the initiative group are to collect the signatures of at least 10% of the voting-eligible residents of the locality. This is at least 98 signatures that must be submitted to the CEC by February 9.

In a public meeting of the inhabitants of the village of Cristești, these voted unanimously for holding a local referendum to dismiss the mayor, without removing the local council.

In the 2023 local elections, Elena Druchenski was elected mayor of Cristești on behalf of the Respect Moldova Movement. The locals accuse her of appointing people to positions in personal interests and allowing incurring unreasonable expenses in various court cases.

Contacted by IPN for a reaction, Elena Druchenski said that she does not want to pronounce on the initiative to hold the referendum, adding that there is a group of citizens who disrupt the work of the council and the mayor.