CHISINAU, October 31. /TASS/. Opposition activists have gathered for a protest near the Moldovan Constitutional Court, which is expected to approve the results of the recent referendum on the country’s accession to the European Union, a TASS correspondent reported on Thursday.
Participants in the protest include representatives from the opposition bloc "Pobeda" (Victory), the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, and several presidential candidates.
Hundreds of protesters chanted slogans such as "We do not recognize the referendum," "Down with Maia Sandu," "Down with the dictatorship," and "We demand the resignation of [CEC Vice-Chairman] Pavel Postica." Police have cordoned off the building but are not interfering with the protesters’ actions.
During the protest, Marina Tauber, deputy chair of the opposition bloc "Pobeda," submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court to challenge the results of the EU accession referendum.
The Constitutional Court is meeting in session on Thursday to discuss the possible recognition of the referendum’s results. Only invited persons will have access to the session hall. According to the CEC, the turnout at the plebiscite was 50.72%; 50.35% voted in favor and 49.65% against, but inside Moldova the plebiscite failed, as 54% of voters voted against.
Allegedly it was the votes of Moldovan labor migrants in Western countries that helped secure a minuscule advantage of only 0.7% (about 10,500 votes). As a result, with a turnout at the referendum of 50.72%, only 22.5% of all Moldovan citizens actually supported the constitutional change. Most Moldovan parties, including pro-European ones, consider these results disputable and have opposed the introduction of its results into the fundamental law.
At the referendum, Moldovans were asked to answer the question: "Do you support amending the Constitution for the purpose of Moldova’s accession to the European Union?" The referendum was held simultaneously with the presidential election in Moldova. Monitors say the plebiscite was designed to help the incumbent, Maia Sandu get re-elected for a second term amid an economic crisis and opposition protests.