The parliamentary alliance is ready to examine an initiative to hold a referendum on the direct election of the head of state during the first sittings of the spring session, Head of Parliament Andrian Candu said in a press briefing. This proposal was to be made public in a meeting with protesters’ leaders Andrei Nastase, Igor Dodon and Renato Usatyi, but this didn’t take place, IPN reports.
“We analyzed their demands and consulted jurists. We had a number of debates within the parliamentary alliance and this opinion is not accepted by everyone, but we agreed to allow holding a constitutional referendum on the election of the head of state. We propose to adopt the decision on referendum holding in Parliament,” said the official.
Speaking about the demand to dismiss the heads of a number of institutions, Andrian Candu said he wanted to discuss this issue with protesters’ leaders so as to set some time limits as the situation at the institutions is different. For example, the terms in office of the members of the Central Election Commission expire in February and they plan to offer the opposition the right to have representatives on the Commission.
As regards the dismissal of the chiefs of the National Anticorruption Center and the National Integrity Commission, the Speaker said they now have the intention to reform these institutions and to choose their administration at a contest. As regards the Prosecutor General’s Office, the authorities are in the process of reforming the institution and there will be adopted a new method of naming the prosecutor general. A new governor is to be named at the National Bank of Moldova in February. “In a discussion with protesters’ leaders, we would have set deadlines for fulfilling these demands,” said the Head of Parliament.
The list of demands also includes the freeing from arrest of former MP Grigore Petrenco. Andrian Candu said the given demand is not within the competence of the political class and it would be illegal to become involved. But the leaders of the protesters could set up a parliamentary commission that would examine this case in cooperation with the foreign partners and civil society so as to avoid abuses.
Another demand is to dismiss the minister of the interior for the brutal treatment of the protesters. Andrian Candu said the video recordings show the police officers didn’t intervene and were even injured during the violent protests near the Parliament Building. “There was no brutality. The police have been placed on alert over half a year ago. They are citizens of Moldova - sons, husbands and even wives - and we must respect them as any other citizen. The protests should be peaceful, with no violence,” stated the official.
As to the last demand to dissolve Parliament and call early elections, Andrian Candu noted that the legislature cannot dissolve itself as the Constitution bans this and the Constitutional Court confirmed this. The possibility of early elections will be discussed in March-April, if the new head of state cannot be elected. “Early elections cannot be provoked legally. The thesis to dismiss the Government and vote in a new one is false as, if the Cabinet was dismissed now, we could speak about early elections in three months only. Our opinion is that the early elections now could worsen the already difficult situation in Moldova,” said the Speaker.
He also said that this is the offer of the parliamentary coalition and if there is real wish to have a dialogue, a consensus can be reached to stabilize the situation. “Protesters’ leaders either do not realize the interests of Moldova or do what they do for the sake of political positions. The citizens who sympathize with them should open their eyes widely and see who promotes their interests. We are ready to have a dialogue. In the decisions we reach, we take into account the interests of those who protest and also of those who want stability,” stated Andrian Candu.
In the last antigovernment protests, the Civic Platform “Dignity and Truth”, the Party of Socialists and the “Our Party” joined together and demand early legislative elections. In a Civic Forum on January 29, representatives of the protesters are to decide the subsequent steps.
