Representatives of the anti-war national movement “Moldova for Peace and Neutrality” say that the referendum on amending the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova should be boycotted. According to them, if the Constitution is amended, the status of neutrality will be renounced and the country could be engaged in the war. The members of the movement noted that in the presidential election, they will support the candidate who will plead for neutrality and peace.
In a news conference hosted by IPN, the leader of the public association “Republica” Anatol Dubrovschi said that the “Moldova for Peace and Neutrality” movement was established on May 30. It includes a number of public associations that consider that “these are all premises that speak of the danger of a war in which the Republic of Moldova can be involved”.
“We plead for the preservation of neutrality, we plead for peace, against any military exercises that have no defense purpose. I also mentioned our position on the election. We believe that the replacement of the political leadership of the republic is a very strong guarantee for peace. In the electoral campaigns that will take place, we will surely support the political force and the candidate that will plead for neutrality, for peace, for the preservation of our statehood, for our economic prosperity. Of course, we expressed our position on the referendum. We are against this referendum, because we do not see the need for it,” stated Anatol Dubrovschi.
The head of the “Moldova for Peace” association Natalia Dashkevich said that the platform she leads pleads for neutrality and that’s why she decided to join the created movement. “Every time it comes to changes in the Constitution, we need to know exactly what changes we are talking about. I’m convinced that no one will tell us this until the referendum,” stated Natalia Dashkevich, urging to boycott the plebiscite.
Igor Căldare, of the association, “Republica”, noted that the annulment of the neutrality status of the Republic of Moldova and, subsequently, the country’s involvement in a foreign war are among the most dreadful effects of the referendum announced by the government. “I share the idea of my colleagues to boycott this criminal referendum,” he stated.
“We need peace, we want peace. In order to have this situation, we need to maintain neutrality. In order to maintain neutrality, we need to overturn Maia Sandu’s referendum. That is we come to the plebiscite on the appointed day, we take the ballot for the President, we vote as reason tells us for the President. And the questionnaire regarding the referendum remains on the table. We leave it there and don’t touch it. So, we boycott the referendum,” said Zaraf Tihon, head of the National Center for Monitoring the Observance of Human Rights in Moldova.
“We plead for peace, for our country, for the motherland,” said the co-president of the Union of Officers of Moldova Nicolae Macovei.
Note: IPN Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider themselves targeted in the news articles produced based on the statements of the organizers of this press conference, including by facilitating the organization of another press conference under similar conditions.
