The U.S. Embassy in Moldova, in a posting on a social networking site, says the Unites States of America is “disappointed” at the decision of Moldova’s Parliament and Government not to take into account the most important recommendations of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR concerning the reviewed Election Code, IPN reports.
On its Facebook page, the U.S. Embassy says the adoption of the reviewed Election Code allows questioning the Government’s declared objective concerning a democratic and European future for the people from Moldova. “We will continue to work with all the interested sides, including civil society, so as to make Moldova’s European future become a reality,” wrote the Embassy.
On July 21, European officials issued a statement on the electoral system change in Moldova. “The July 20 vote of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to implement changes to the country’s electoral system goes directly counter to the recent recommendations of the Venice Commission and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights,” said the statement by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.
According to the European officials, while the choice of an electoral system is a sovereign decision of a State, the European Union strongly believes that any change to the electoral system should strengthen democracy, be based on a broad consensus amongst political forces, and follow a genuine consultation of civil society and recommendations of the international partners.
Parliament on July 20 adopted in the final reading the bill to amend the Election Code, whereby the mixed-member electoral system is introduced instead of the party-list proportional representation system, by 74 votes in favor. The same day, President Igor Dodon promulgated the law and on July 21 this was published in the Official Gazette.
