The Central Election Commission (CEC) hasn’t yet taken a decision concerning the date of the local referendum on the dismissal of the mayor of Balti. Contacted by IPN, CEC president Alina Russu said the Balti local office of the State Chancellery notified the Balti Municipal Council of the fact that the January 19 decision by which the Council set the plebiscite for March 14 is illegal.
According to Alina Russu, the Balti councilors have 30 days to abrogate the decision or to provide arguments if they decide to maintain it. “Now we have to wait to see the result of the notification. As the CEC hasn’t yet decided the date of the local dismissal referendum by a decision, we cannot speak about the holding of a referendum,” stated the official.
The Election Code does not specify a period during which the Central Election Commission must be notified of the adoption by a local council of the decision about the holding of a referendum. But the council’s decision must necessarily contain the proposed referendum date and this should fall in the period of at least one month and at most 45 days of the decision adoption date. Also, the CEC must form the electoral constituencies at least one month before the referendum day.
