The recalling of members of Moldova’s Parliament after these are elected does not form part of the democratic practices. This is how the EU Ambassador in Chisinau Peter Michalko commented on the Parliament’s decision to hold a consultative referendum on the recalling of MPs who do not fulfil their duties together with the parliamentary elections of next February, IPN reports.

“The recalling of MPs after they are elected during the Parliament’s mandate is not a democratic practice. This would be a step that would cross the borders of European constitutionalism. This was stated in the Venice Commission’s report of last June and many times earlier. It is very clear here that this is not a European practice,” Peter Michalko stated in the program “Friday with Anatoliem Golea” on RTR Moldova channel.

The European official noted the introduction of such a practice is against the democratic standards.

The EU ambassador reiterated that equal and free conditions should be created for the next parliamentary elections so that all the parties could conduct their political activities and the election campaign freely and the candidates could be fielded unrestrictedly. Furthermore, the parties should be financed correctly, while the institutions that should independently monitor the situation should not adopt a selective approach. “These are our expectations and we receive with concern information about all the phenomena that show things do not go well,” stated Peter Michalko.

Furthermore, the official said that if the elections are not recognized before they take place, this will be serious backsliding for the Republic of Moldova.

On November 30, Parliament adopted the decision concerning the holding of a national consultative referendum on February 24, 2019 simultaneously with the  parliamentary elections. The voters will answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ two questions in the referendum: if they want the number of MPs to be reduced from 101 to 61, and if they want the MPs to be recalled if they do not fulfil their duties.