The Civic Platform “Dignity and Truth” created an initiative group that will collect signatures for initiating a referendum on the election of the head of state directly, by the people. The decision was taken in the protest staged in the Great National Assembly Square on November 1. The organizers set the goal of mobilizing at least 300 people who will go through the country to collect signatures, IPN reports.
“All the citizens of the Republic of Moldova who want to collect signatures for initiating the referendum are invited to take part in the constitution of the initiative group. Those who want are registered based on the identity card and proceedings will be later drawn up. These proceedings will be registered at the Central Election Commission, in accordance with the law,” one of the leaders of the Platform “Dignity and Truth” Vasile Nastase has told IPN.
The people who gathered together in the Great National Assembly Square said they want to choose the head of state themselves. “We came here to collect signatures for the country’s President to be chosen by the people. I think I should also contribute for this to happen. If the head of state is elected by the people, he will also bear responsibility for us. We want a wise and intelligent man who would struggle for this country,” said one of the participants.
Other participants in the protest formulated demands for the future head of state. “We want the head of state to travel to villages and meet with the people, to take part in our gatherings, no matter how small they are. If we choose an elderly man from a village as head of state, he will know how to protect the country and will protect it as if it will be his children,” said a man.
Within ten days of the presentation of the proceedings on the constitution of the initiative group, the Central Election Commission must register them and must issue permits. Afterward, the members of the group will have the right to collect signatures all over the country.
As many as 360,000 signatures are needed to initiate a referendum on the amendment of the Constitution so that it provides for the election of the head of state by the people.
The previous referendum on the same issue, held on September 5, 2010, wasn’t validated owing to the low voter turnout.
