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Chișinău, 14 November 2017 – Promo-LEX Association lines up with the conclusions of the study published by the European Parliament on the importance of respecting the recommendations of the Venice Commission on the electoral system of Moldova.

It is particularly stressed that the process of electoral reform on the mixed electoral system has been controversial and that this process has also largely disregarded the conclusion of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR. On the other hand, the paper points out that unlike the political parties that were promoting their own take in the spring of 2017, Promo-LEX held its own series of inclusive debates, including in the regions. The paper also mentions that whilst certain political parties and civil society organisations opted out of the discussions on these legislative changes: “the leading citizen observer group Promo-LEX participated, but its recommendations were not taken on board.”

Promo-LEX recalls that these institutions pointed to the lack of a consensus building approach on this polarising issue, and that such a change is not advisable. Moreover, the mixed system ‘could potentially have a negative effect at the local level, where independent majoritarian candidates may develop links with or be influenced by local businesspeople or other actors who follow their own separate interests.` The paper also encourages solutions on the representation of Moldovan citizens from the breakaway region of Transnistria and from abroad. Similar conclusions were also reached in the study made by Promo-LEX on “The Electoral System Design in Moldova.”

The authors of the study have also mentioned the Statement of Promo-LEX Association, thereby this nongovernmental organisation gave a critical opinion on changing the way MPs are elected. Particularly, the study draws the attention of EMPs to the fact that in such states as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are changes in the rules on parliamentary elections are introduced in a rush, lacking genuine inclusive, thorough and public debate.

The paper also urges the European Parliament “[to] Encourage support for civil society organisations to actively promote and monitor issues of public accountability throughout the electoral cycle, including between elections.”  Concurrently, the EMPs are called upon to keep in the loop the way civil society organisations are allowed to freely conduct their activities.

The conditions on the European financial assistance is another issue that the EMPs are called upon to bear in mind, as well as the fact that the Chișinău administration should make efforts on fighting corruption, money laundering, observe human rights, to ensure a merit-based civil service, as well as the independence of the judiciary media. Following the banking fraud in Moldova, another conditionality is a result-oriented investigation thereof and a closer supervision of the banking and financial sectors.

The study on the electoral reforms in three association countries of the European Neighbourhood – Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova was delivered upon the request of the European Parliament and was published at the beginning of November 2017.