Vlad Filat: Collecting signatures for referendum harder than we thought

“Collecting the signatures for the referendum is harder than we thought,” Liberal-Democratic leader Vlad Filat said at a news conference, asked by Info-prim Neo to utter his stance on the matter. “After launching the initiative, more actions against the party took place,” said Filat. The first in the list of the intimidating actions is “calling party members to the prosecutor's office to explain why they joined the party.” Many people supporting the initiative do not want to put down their signatures on the lists because they have to write personal data from the their ID cards. Vlad Filat expressed his confidence the necessary number of signatures would be gathered, anyway. To start a nation-wide referendum, one needs at least 200,000 signatures of citizens and PLDM shall collect them till June 23. PLDM proposes modifying the Constitution so that the President is elected directly by the people and not by the Parliament, as it is done at present. The party also suggests introducing a mixed electoral system so that 51 MPs are elected in a single national constituency (as they are elected now) and 50 MPs – in uninominal constituencies. The Parliament is the authority to finally decide on holding the referendum on modifying the Constitution.