The PACE rapporteurs for Moldova said the September 5 constitutional referendum was a real democratic exercise even if it was not validated because of the low voter turnout, Liberal MP Ana Gutu, the head of the Moldovan delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, stated, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. According to Ana Gutu, the referendum showed the current government coalition is able to mobilize its resources and to ensure a truly democratic and electoral process. Among the causes that led to the invalidation of the referendum, the PACE MPs named the very short campaign, overlapping of the election campaign and field works, and boycotting of the plebiscite by the PCRM, Ana Gutu said. The PACE session was also attended by the former President of Moldova, Communist leader Vladimir Voronin, but he did not form part of the official delegation. “In his speech, Vladimir Voronin criticized the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly as well as the Venice Commission for authorizing the constitutional referendum. It was evident that the Communist leader did not represent Moldova, but his own party,” said Ana Gutu. “The message sent to Moldova was that there is not time left for postponing resolving the institutional and constitutional crisis and the President must be elected after the November elections.” In an informal meeting with the rapporteurs from Moldova, Communist MP Grigore Petrenko gave a speech, mentioning that Vladimir Voronin may remain without parliamentary immunity. The MEPs said the person who committed a crime must be held accountable even if he or she is a member of Parliament. The Moldovan delegation to the PACE’s autumn session included MPs Ana Gutu, Valeriu Ghiletski, Stella Jantuan, and Grigore Petrenko.