A number of persons left the Civic Congress of the Communist Party (PCRM), arguing it is not politically independent. One of the leaders of the congress Ruslan Popa told a news conferee on October 16 that he and his colleagues decided to create the Civic Union for Direct Democracy within which they will continue the activities initiated in the congress, IPN reports.
Ruslan Popa said that one of the objectives of the Civic Congress was to unite the representatives of civil society around a common platform so as to defend the interests and rights of the people, regardless of their political affiliation. The Civic Congress was founded by the Communist Party, but the congress practically didn’t work. Its members prepared a memorandum for the organization to become a politically independent one, but the PCRM refused to sign it. This way the PCRM aimed to keep the congress under control.
“We are not members of the party and do not want to become party members. The congress was designed to be independent. I decided to live because the congress is not independent and will not become so soon. Those who are satisfied with such a situation can stay,” said Ruslan Popa.
He also said that he and his colleagues set up the Civic Union for Direct Democracy and will continue to do what they didn’t manage to within the congress. “We will promote the idea that the people must be able to choose the representatives in Parliament directly, not through the agency of parties,” stated Ruslan Popa.
Another former member of the Civic Congress Grigore Kovalenko said the elections should be held as in the past, when the MPs were chosen by employees, not by criminal groups that buy the places on the lists.
The former members of the Congress said the Civic Union for Direct Democracy will stage roundtable meetings, debates and meetings with people in districts to explain the importance of direct elections.
