The civic group “Initiative for Article 2 of the Constitution” calls on the bloc ACUM (NOW) and the Party of Socialists (PSRM) to combine efforts to create an anti-oligarchic coalition in the current Parliament so as to approve the necessary laws and to create conditions for holding free and fair snap parliamentary elections based on the proportional representation system. The members of the group said this is the most reasonable scenario and there are no sensible reasons that would prevent the two parties from sitting at a negotiating table.
In a news conference at IPN, energy expert Sergiu Tofilat, who read the statement of the group, said that to respect the will of the voters, the MPs of the parties that made assurances and promoted anti-oligarchic programs are obliged to do everything to annul the mixed electoral system, to choose a new composition of the CEC, to free justice and, within possibilities, the institutions that are under the political control of the Democratic Party so that free and fair snap elections could be held. The members of the group said they didn’t see sufficient political will and effort that could have led to the replacement of the power and the start of the return to veritable democracy.
“The ambiguous and vague actions and statements and the suggesting of unwise initiatives and conditions by the bloc ACUM and the PSRM led to the situation that 38 days after the elections, despite the very clear options of the voters, an anti-oligarchy majority wasn’t constituted in Moldova’s Parliament and the legislature is nonfunctional”. The civic activists do not think the formation of a majority in Parliament is a goal itself, but consider Moldova needs a political majority whose task is to create conditions for holding authentic democratic elections. In this regard, the situational voting by the bloc ACUM, in concert with the PSRM, is the only possible scenario.
Expert in public policy Ștefan Gligor said that insufficient initiative has been shown so far by both of the political parties. “It is regrettable that the bloc ACUM didn’t pronounce the name of the group that it invited to negotiations. At the same time, it is regrettable that the PSRM formulated an invitation that from the start was unacceptable to the bloc ACUM”. According to him, regardless of the particularities of each party and the method of communicating things, they are obliged to show to everyone that they did their best to find the votes needed to adopt the package of laws on the annulment of the mixed system and to name new members of the CEC and organize free snap elections.
Expert of the Association “Comunitatea WatchDog” Valeriu Pașa noted an eventual alliance between the PSRM and the PDM will lead to a considerable fall in the rating of the PSRM and of Igor Dodon. “Those from the PSRM cannot understand this and are not co-interested in forming a visible alliance with the PDM. Beyond these negotiations held at the Presidential Office, we consider any action on behalf of PSRM except for the fulfilment of the promise to oppose the oligarchic system and to free the state institutions, will mean betrayal of the voters,” noted Valeriu Pașa.
Political pundit Victor Ciobanu said President Igor Dodon ultimately reached the conclusion that the snap elections are the most probable scenario. The problem is that these will take place according to the current system, with a predictable score when an eventual PDM together with the Shor Party will obtain a majority without taking into account the PSRM, ACUM etc., and the current and former opposition will be ‘devoured’ in these elections that will definitely be merged with the local ones. “But these elections should take place under a proportional system, after reforming the institutions responsible for elections. ACUM and the PSRM can choose between these two variants – they either accept Plahotniuc’s conditions or change the rules of the game that should be fully different,” stated the analyst.
Political commentator Alexei Tulbure considers an eventual coalition between the PDM and PSRM would mean not only the political death of the PSRM, but also the keeping of the logic and essence of the government that ruled until now, appropriation of public funds and avoidance of responsibility for this.
The experts called on the citizens who voted for ACUM and the PSRM to communicate with the politicians of these parties and tell them what they think about the political situation in the country and what the PSRM and the bloc ACUM should do.
The civic group “Initiative for Article 2 of the Constitution” consists of experts and activists who united to defend Article 2 of the Constitution. This provides that the power belongs to the people. The members of the initiative set the goal of promoting this concept, especially as regards the holding of free and fair elections.
