Liberal Party to boycott referendum for dismissal of Chisinau mayor

Chisinau, 27 September /MOLDPRES/- The Liberal Party (PL) will boycott the local referendum for the dismissal of Chisinau mayor Dorin Chirtoaca. PL leader Mihai Ghimpu made the statement today.

Ghimpu urged citizens not to vote and says “this referendum was initiated under a political decision”. “The referendum and the two criminal cases represent evidence that this is a political case. We must keep the pro-European leadership of the capital. Power belongs to citizens, not those who believe they have it using some people in law enforcement institutions. On 19 November, we have to give them a serious reply and let them down. This referendum will be valid if the participation rate is 200,000 people, so we urge the citizens not to participate in the referendum, so it will not be validated”, he said.

At the same time, Ghimpu also urged other pro-European parties to support the initiative to boycott the local referendum.

The referendum to dismiss the Chisinau mayor will be held on 19 November 2017. At the same time, the election period will begin 45 days before this day.

Over 160,000 votes are needed to dismiss Dorin Chirtoaca through a referendum. Also, no less than one third of over 647,000 voters on the lists should attend the poll as the referendum to be validated.

Chirtoaca tops the capital since 2007 and is now in the third term. The Chisinau mayor was arrested in late May by anticorruption prosecutors and officers, suspected of influence peddling in the paid parking case. At the same time, the anticorruption prosecutors announced in late August that he is criminally investigated in a new criminal case, suspected of exceeding service duties in a file on changing the execution of securities of granting housing in the capital. Chirtoaca rejects the accusations and pleads not guilty.

 (Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor L. Alcază)