Representatives of the Ecologist Green Party (PVE) said the referendum is a democratic exercise that should be respected and practiced even if the subjects of the consultative referendum of February 24 are not the most appropriate ones. At the same time, the calls to boycott the plebiscite could somehow demotivate the people to vote in the parliamentary elections. At the same time, representatives of the Liberal Party said they will oppose this referendum as they do not believe in the good intentions of the Democratic Party that proposed this initiative. The statements were made in the public debate ”Elections 2019: Please elect me MP because...”, which was the 104th installment of the series “Developing political culture through public debates” staged by IPN News Agency.
Anatolie Prohnitski, a candidate of the PVE, said the referendum was initiated by the Democratic Party and later the legislative initiative was adopted. This way those who disagreed with it could challenge it in the Constitutional Court in the way defined by law. “Some speak about or even shout about European values and practices. Dear people, do you know that a lot of referendums are held in Europe? There are countries where plebiscites are held, with the respective decisions, also in territorial-administrative units, in a village, on different issues. This is a practice to consult the people and if the citizens decide, the power complies as this is delegated by the people. In our country they say we do not need a referendum. Dear people, it is the right of the citizens to take part and pronounce,” he stated.
The candidate noted each person takes a decision as to the number of MPs. This is a personal decision, as is the religion, political affiliation because the man is free. “I think the referendum is a democratic exercise and this should be respected. This practice is needed so that the referendums have a particular ending,” sated Anatolie Prohnitski. According to him, an earlier referendum that failed created somehow the perception that this exercises should be avoided, but the plebiscite should not be turned into something disagreeable.
Vlad Biletski, of the Liberal Party (PL), said this referendum is only consultative in character. The people will be consulted and no matter what the result is, this should not be compulsorily implemented. Parliament could take it into account, but could also ignore it. The referendum is indeed the most democratic exercise that can help find out the people’s opinion, but there are subjects that, in the opinion of the best jurists, should not be subject for a referendum as the people will definitely vote ‘for’, for example, in a referendum where the people will be asked if they want the taxes and duties to be decreased. But no one will assume responsibility for the bad roads that could not be maintained owing to the lack of budget revenues. This referendum is not the best solution as everyone will evidently answer with “yes” the question “Do you want the number of MPs to be decreased?”. The Democratic Party and the Party of Socialists have a parliamentary majority that could have done this, but they decided to hold this exercise as the stake is another one.
Vlad Biletski, who runs in single-member constituency No. 26 Centru Buiucani, said it is suggested reducing the number of MPs not for those from the left or for oligarchs who rob, but the chances of those of the rights are reduced. When the number of MPs is decreased, the small honest pro-European groups will face bigger difficulties as they do not have billions to finance the election campaign and do not have access to the politically affiliated TV channels that disseminate a particular message. The decline in the number of MPs is also wanted for those who buy MPs as it would be easier for these when there will be only 61 MPs, not 101 as now. Also, the mechanism for recalling MPs is not planned for corrupt or untrained MPs and the way in which it was presented by the Democrats and the Socialists is antidemocratic. “There will be dismissed the most inconvenient MPs, those who will not sell themselves and who will put up resistance to the Plahotniuc-Dodon-Shor system,” noted Vlad Biletski.
The participants in the debate formulated messages intended for the voters, explaining why the people should vote the candidates fielded by their parties.
Anatolie Prohnitski said that during 28 years, the Republic of Moldova was ruled by oligarchic-political organizations. That’s why the majority of the people say the state follows an incorrect path. “The country loses population, becomes unattractive, faces problems, does not have a proper legal system, is stricken by corruption, etc. And we, the Ecologist Green Party, call on you to vote new, pro-European parties that are for high-quality education, for care for the population’s health, for real struggle against corruption with the support of our European colleagues. And together we should create better conditions here, in the Republic of Moldova, at home and without begging,” he stated.
Vlad Biletski said he didn’t become involved in elections out of wish and pleasure, but because of necessity as the forces of the right are divided and each person of good faith who can lend a hand has the moral obligation to do this. “I firmly believe that it is the case to change the current political class that betrayed us since 2009 until now as this promised the European integration and that Voronin will be jailed, that the thefts and robberies will be brought to an end, but things stand inversely. We should replace the oligarchs from Parliament with honest people and not with other oligarchs, who aim to take revenge on each other, some being convicted to eight years in jail and being runaways to Germany, while others being now in Chisinau in Parliament and sticking to power. In Parliament, we should have honest people whom we know and who are consistent and are not political turncoats,” stated the candidate.
The Political Party “Patria” was also invited to the February 5 debate, but this delegated no representative to take part.
The contestants are invited to the electoral debates held by IPN Agency in accordance with the order in which they were registered by the Central Election Commission. The debate on January 30 involved representatives of the electoral bloc ACUM, the Party of Communists and the Party of Socialists. Representatives of the Shor Party, the People’s Movement Antimafie, the Our Party and the National Liberal Party took part in the January 31 debate. The debate held on February 4 involved representatives of the Party “People’s Will”, the Party “Democracy at Home” and Professionals’ Movement “Speranța-Nadejda”.
Of the 15 election contestants, the invitation to the debate was rejected by the Democratic Party, the Party of Regions and the Political Party “Patria”.
The series of debates “Elections 2019: Please elect me MP because...”, forms part of the series of public debates held by IPN News Agency as part of the project “Developing political culture through public debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.
