Draft amending Constitution failed to get number of votes for final reading

Chisinau, 18 October /MOLDPRES/- The draft of the Constitution of Moldova with provisions that establish the European integration vector as a strategic goal for the development of the country has not accumulated today the 67 votes needed to be adopted in final reading. MPs of PLDM and PL factions left the meeting room before the voting procedure.

A number of 54 MPs of PDM and PPEM factions voted for amending the Constitution by setting European integration term.

The initiative to amend the constitution belongs to a group of MPs of the parliamentary coalition. The draft was worked out by a working group set up by the parliament decision No209 of 6 October 2017. It involved experts, representatives of the academia and public authorities. The Constitutional Court adopted on 11 December 2017 the notice on the draft law amending and supplementing the Constitution of Moldova.

Under the legislation, votes of at least 2/3 of the total number of MPs are necessary for the amendment of the Constitution.

Moldova's relations with the European Union were launched with the signing on 28 November 1994 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. In January 2010, Moldova and the European Union were committed to negotiating the Association Agreement. On 2 July 2014, the Association Agreement between Moldova and the European Union was ratified in the parliament. Subsequently, the Parliament of Moldova reaffirmed the desideratum of European integration through the Decisions no.274 of 14 November 2013 and No218 of 29 July 2016 approving express statements on supporting Moldova’s European integration and on national partnership in the field of European integration.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)