MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS LAW ON MIXED ELECTORAL SYSTEM

The 101-member Parliament of Moldova today approved the Law on the country's transition to the mixed electoral system. The document was supported by 74 deputies from the ruling Democratic Party, European People Group and pro-Dodon Party of Socialists.

Parliamentarians from the opposition factions of the Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party and Liberal Party left the session room in protest. Before that, they tried to remind to the pro-Europe majority that the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe had recommended not passing this bill in conditions when the Moldovan society is being split over this disputable step.

Seeing that the majority were remaining deaf to any arguments, the opposition factions tried to demand a break in the session, then to hold a roll-call vote for including the bill into this week's plenary agenda. But all the opposition's demands and proposals were declined.

This problem overcome, the Parliament embarked on considering agenda questions, and number one on the list was the bill on the mixed electoral system. Presenting the document, MP Raisa Apolschi, D, Chairperson of the parliamentary Standing Committee for Legal Issues, Appointments and Immunity, stated that at drafting the bill, its authors took note of "all the recommendations and proposals sent to the Committee, and took into account the Venice Commission recommendations".

"Proceeding from Article 72 of the Constitution stipulating that electoral system regulation is a prerogative of the Moldovan Parliament, the Standing Committee members unanimously supported the bill and sent it for a second reading", said Raisa Apolschi.

Not a single of the lawmakers present in the session room voiced whatever remarks, objections or questions to the bill. The document was approved in the version presented by the Committee for Legal Issues, Appointments and Immunity that was made public on the Parliament's official website on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaker Andrian Candu thanked civil society representatives, Parliament deputies, experts and the Venice Commission for their work over the document.