President Nicolae Timofti will not initiate a referendum on the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU, as the Communist Party (PCRM) requested. In a response letter issued by the secretary general of the President’s Staff Ion Paduraru, at the instruction of Nicolae Timofti, it is said that such accords do not need to be approved by a plebiscite, IPN reports.

The letter says that the Association Agreement lays down the legal framework of cooperation between a state (Moldova) and a supranational international organization (the EU) and does not envision accession to the EU. For example, the Free Trade Agreement within the CIS was signed and ratified by Moldova without it being first approved by a referendum. Moldova’s membership of the CIS wasn’t decided by a referendum either.

“However, the Communist Party had and has enough legal instruments for initiating such exercises for finding out peoples’ opinions, which can be used in accordance with the law,” reads the letter.

It also says that above and beyond political strategies that are normal up to a certain point in an electoral year, it is important that the PCRM returns to the idea of Moldova’s integration into the EU, which it promoted, at least at declarative level, in the period when it was in power.

The head of state expressed his hope that the parliamentary elections of this autumn will confirm the peoples’ European option, which is for the safety and welfare of all the Moldovans, once and for all.

The letter says that the President cannot accept the PCRM’s request concerning the dismissal of the Government as a relevant presidential decree can be issued only after the issue is put to the vote in Parliament. “After the PCRM made several attempts to dismiss the Government by a censure motion, it is evident that the Cabinet headed by Iurie Leanca enjoys the parliamentary majority’s support needed for continuing work,” said the head of state.

Moldova will sign the Association Agreement with the EU on June 27.