The Democratic Party (PDM) will take measures to punish its members from the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia who were involved in the organization and holding of the local referendum on February 2, Deputy Speaker Andrian Candu, who is the deputy chairman of the PDM, said in the program “In Depth” on Pro TV channel, IPN reports.
Andrian Candu said those who took part in the organization of this illegal event will answer for their acts in accordance with the law, regardless of the party of which they form part. The Bashkan of Gagauzia Mihail Formuzal also faces penalties. If it’s proven that he committed illegal acts by organizing the referendum, he risks losing his seat in the Cabinet. “The stamps and ballots used in the referendum were illegal. Nobody knows where the money used to finance the plebiscite came from as it wasn’t declared. There were committed other illegalities too. The people there weren’t informed that the union for which they vote does not yet exist,” he stated.
Deputy head of the Liberal Democratic Party Valeriu Strelet said the political forces involved in the organization of the illegal referendum must account for their acts. The government is also to blame as it wasn’t sufficiently convincing and left room for the Communists, who did what they wanted in Gagauzia. “They misled the people. They presented only the pro-Eastern option. The result was predictable given the propaganda we witnessed. But this referendum will not have legal effects,” he stated.
Communist MP Alexandru Petcov said the referendum was legal as, under the legislation of Gagauzia, the local elections do not need the approval of the Central Election Commission. He added that the members of the PDM supported the organization of the local referendum and presented a newspaper with an electoral message by which the people in Gagauzia are urged to vote for the integration into the Eurasian Customs Union.
According to the electoral authority of Gagauzia, over 98% of the people who took part in the referendum voted for integration into the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union. As many people voted in favor of adopting a law allowing the Gagauz people to decide their fate if Moldova loses its sovereignty.
