news agency Infotag

RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE QUESTION WILL ENSURE HIGH TURNOUT AT REFERENDUM – RAVNOPRAVIYE

If the question of making Russian a second official language in Moldova is added into the referendum ballot-papers, this will ensure a substantial voter turnout on September 5, Chairman of the Ravnopraviye [Equal Rights] Socio-Political Movement Valery Klimenko stated at a news conference in Infotag today.    

“We are waiting from the governing Alliance for European Integration an answer to our proposal to put up two more questions for the referendum:  one on the status of Russian as a second official language, and the other on introducing a constitutional norm that would guarantee a proportional representation of national minorities in state power structures. So far, the ruling alliance has not provided any reply”, he said.       

“If the Alliance for European Integration ignores our proposal, in the first 10 days of August we will announce our official decision on boycotting the September 5 referendum together with the Communist Party and the Christian Democratic Popular Party. It is my conviction that if Moldova’s national minorities and the Ravnopraviye take such decision, the referendum will be declared null and void due to an insufficient voter turnout [i.e. under the necessary turnout minimum of 33%]”, said Klimenko.  
  
“So, no matter how the AEI will be trying to open more polling stations in foreign countries, the sought voter turnout will never be reached. We guess the referendum is doomed to failure, so this will automatically raise the question of the legitimacy of the current power. The Alliance obviously lacks the population’s support, so it cannot count on the people’s backing”, stressed the Ravnopraviye leader.  

“The AEI has no other option but accept our offer, which will ensure a substantial voter turnout on September 5:  the Russian language is a kind of question, which will bring minimum a quarter of the population to polling stations, including Transnistria residents”, said Valery Klimenko.  

In his words, this key question is being actively discussed in the AEI, “and there are both supporters and opponents to the [Russian language] question. So, let’s wait and see whose wisdom is going to prevail”.