Centrist Union considers holding of national referendum before parliamentary elections as inopportune

The Centrist Union of Moldova (UCM) considers that the holding of a national referendum for modifying the constitutional procedure for electing the President and Parliament of Moldova before the 2009 parliamentary elections is inopportune, Info-Prim Neo reports, citing a statement issued by UCM. Recognising the initiative of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) as good and useful, the Political Council of UCM considers that its implementation at the moment is inopportune and can be counterproductive. The party’s statement says that under the Electoral Code, at least 13 months are needed to initiate a national referendum. Given that a referendum is not held 120 days before or after parliamentary, local general elections or another referendum, the referendum could take place in 17 months, in August 2009. At the same time, taking into account the consultative character of the referendum, its results could be ignored by the next Parliament. According to UCM, a legislative referendum should be held to change the electoral system. But its favourable results could be also ignored by the next Parliament. UCM does not exclude that all the procedures could be carried out within minimum terms and, as a result, the Constitution could be amended in January 2009. The Parliament, with 56 votes of the Communist MPs, could modify the Electoral Code so as to allow the simultaneous holding of parliamentary and presidential elections in April-May 2009. Under such circumstances, the incumbent President could apply for two more consecutive terms in office, the statement says. UCM calls on PLDM to assume the risk and responsibility for the possible consequences and to re-examine the launched initiative in direct and responsible cooperation with other parties, not only through appeals made at news conferences. Earlier, the Liberal Democratic Party announced that on February 23 it will hold a meeting in the square of the National Opera to constitute the initiative group that will initiate the national referendum for modifying the Constitution’s stipulations regarding the election of the head of state and the Parliament.