The Supreme Court of Justice’s decision to uphold the non-validation of the mayoral elections held in the capital city of the Republic of Moldova is a direct threat to the proper functioning of local democracy, says a declaration adopted by the members of the Monitoring Committee of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRA) of the Council of Europe, who met in Turkey’s Büyükçekmece on 28 June following the invalidation of the mayoral elections in Chisinau, IPN reports.

“The decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the non-validation of the mayoral elections held on 3 June 2018 in the capital city of the Republic of Moldova is a direct threat to the proper functioning of Moldovan local democracy and constitutes an unprecedented step by the judiciary to intervene in the democratic process. It is a very worrying decision for the future of the Moldovan local democracy,” reads the declaration.

In the meeting, delegates from other states expressed their viewpoints, all noting that local democracy in Moldova is in danger.

In her speech at the meeting, mayor of Straseni municipality Valentina Casian said this serious deviation from democracy was reached step by step, with pressure, non-fulfilment of Moldova’s commitments on decentralization and local democracy and distribution of funds according to political criteria. “As a result, the essence of democracy was fully ignored and the most important democratic value – the people’s vote – was violated,” stated Valentina Casian.

Mayor of Cruzesti village of Chisinau municipality Violeta Crudu said no one asked to nullify the elections, but the judges invalidated these, invoking a video on a social networking site by which calls to the people to vote were made. But the politicians resort to such calls very often given that the population is very passive. “How to remedy this situation now and to convince the people that their vote once in four years counts and they are masters in their country?” asked the mayor.

Mayor of Cimislia town Gheorghe Raileanu requested the CLRA to further support the democratic development of Moldova. “We, the local public authorities and the citizens of the Republic of Moldova must demand that the government obey the democratic principles. The European institutions should correctly assess the situation in the Republic of Moldova, should identity and use new, more effective instruments of interaction with decision makers in Moldova,” he stated.

The meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe brought together 120 delegates, representatives of local and regional authorities from 47 countries.