The press statement issued by the European officials Federica Mogherini and Johannes Hahn, which said that the Republic of Moldova, when it changed the electoral system, practically fully ignored the recommendations of the Venice Commission, shows the Europeans’ attitude to Moldova, Association for Participatory Democracy director Igor Botan said in the public debate “Relations between Moldova and foreign partners following adoption of mixed electoral system” that was organized by IPN News Agency.
The standing expert of the Agency’s project made reference to the statements of Federica Mogherini and Johannes Hahn, who said that the Republic of Moldova, when it changed the electoral system, practically fully ignored the recommendations of the Venice Commission. “The Republic of Moldova signed with the EU that plan of action that specified that the European Union in the democratic processes will have the OSCE and the Venice Commission as partners or reference points. After the Association Agreement was signed, this approach remained standing, logically and legally,” stated Igor Botan.
According to him, the Venice Commission is the reference point and the Republic of Moldova, including the European officials, fully ignored those recommendations. “This is how our relations with the main development partner, the European Unjoin, are characterized,” stated Igor Botan. He noted that the people should be explained how a personal initiative of a politician became a subject for discussion at national and international levels and which are the motivations for such things to happen.
“When the idea of changing the electoral system was presented, they said that 80% of the people support this system. In two months they said this is supported by 40%, while the last poll showed a figure of 30%. How could a campaign of several tens of millions of lei have a fully opposite effect? This logic pursued by the Democratic Party seems somehow dishonest,” stated Igor Botan.
The expert considers the Moldovan authorities use the political context in the region to a maximum, including the bad relations between Russia and the United States, the European Union and the Russian Federation. The last poll commissioned by the PDM to IMAS says 40% of those surveyed were for the proportional representation system, 30% for the uninominal voting system, while 25% for the mixed electoral system. “The people will have to vote based on a system that they wanted least. A really informed voter should take revenge,” he said.
He noted he considers it was wrong to so insistently promote the mixed system. “In the future parliamentary elections, if these are free and fair, the Party of Socialists will win overwhelmingly. If it is so, the Democratic Party will make a generous present to the Socialists. If not, we will witness a campaign during which the Party of Socialists will complain that this is not free and correct.
The public debate “Relations between Moldova and foreign partners following adoption of mixed electoral system” was the 75th installment of the series of debates “Developing political culture by public debates” that was organized with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.
