The national referendum will take place simultaneously with the presidential election as we must have a high voter turnout, said President Maia Sandu. According to the official, Moldova must now determine its foreign policy course, and the decision will influence the country’s fate for many years to come. The head of state said she wants a new term in office as President in order to contribute to Moldova’s European agenda, IPN reports.
President Sandu noted that, despite all risks, it is the right moment to organize a referendum on the European integration as Moldova must definitively assume the external development course.
“We can’t wait another 30 years. The European Union is not only about the future. It is also about the present. Our parents got tired waiting for their lives to improve. I think we can make that effort. That’s why we started discussions with representatives of civil society, political parties, people from various fields. When the Constitutional Court says “yes”, if it says so, Parliament will start this process. I think we must have courage to go forward, despite the existing risks. These must be analyzed and combated,” Maia Sandu stated in the program “Good Evening” on the public television channel.
The official said that 2030 is a realistic deadline by which all the reforms necessary for accession to the European Union can be implemented. She announced her intention to run for a new term in order to contribute to the country’s European integration.
“We must be ready by 2030. We have this opportunity because over the past two years we managed to make great strides on the path of European integration. These steps that we took quickly, in two years, make me confident that the next steps can be taken quickly. But it is up to us to demonstrate that the citizens want to follow this path. I believe, I’m sure that the citizens of the Republic of Moldova want to live in peace, to be part of a family that will protect us in these difficult times. I want to contribute to this European integration agenda because I consider it extremely important for our country,” said the official.
She noted that the holding of the referendum concurrently with the presidential election will enable to save financial resources and will contribute to increasing the voter turnout.
“The decision in the referendum will define the fate of the country for many years to come. I want to see as many people as possible voting in this referendum, participating in taking this decision. We want an election that brings as many people as possible to the polls. From experience, we know that in presidential elections we have the highest turnout compared to other elections. That’s the basic argument. Of course, the argument that funds are saved can also be mentioned, but the most important thing is that as many people as possible take part in these elections,” stated Maia Sandu.
In the national referendum, the citizens will be asked whether or not they want Moldova to join the European Union. Subsequently, the European integration course will be enshrined in the Constitution.
