The association with the European Union is not a referendum subject, as the Communist Party suggests. The Kozac Plan, which envisioned the country’s federalization and keeping of the Russian military presence in Transnistria for several decades, was initialed by the Communist leader Vladimir Voronin, who was then head of state, without being put up for a referendum, though it was a plebiscite issue, Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said in Parliament during the examination of the censure motion put forward by the Communists, IPN reports.

Under the legislation of Moldova, the people state their opinion in a referendum only on treaties and agreements that can affect the country’s sovereignty. But the Association Agreement with the EU, initialed on November 29, does not impinge on its sovereignty. Instead, the Kozak memoriam forms part of the agreements that can be referendum subjects. “It was initialed by you, Mister Voronin. If it had been signed and had taken effect, it would have affected the country’s sovereignty,” said the Premier.

As to the accusations that the negotiations on the Association Agreement with the EU were held in secret, made by the Communist MPs, Iurie Leanca said that under the international norms, the negotiation process is discreet in character so that the sides can present their opinions without being subject to pressure.

“Moldova followed this norm in the negotiation of over 1,800 international treaties. The international norm does not provide that the agreement can be published before it takes effect. The Foreign Ministry agreed with the EU to publish it and the over 900 pages of the accord started to be translated into Romanian and Russian. In several weeks, it will be made public in the two languages,” stated the Premier.

He added that in 2007, when the Communist Party was in power and negotiated the Visa Facilitation Agreement with the EU, it didn’t make public details of the understandings.