The Central Election Commission (CEC) rejected a request from the local council of Botnărești, in the Anenii Noi district, to hold a local referendum on the commune’s administrative future. This decision has sparked discontent among local authorities and residents, who believe their right to determine the future of their community is being violated.
Earlier, the Botnerești Commune Council had approved holding a referendum in which citizens were to decide whether their community should merge with other administrative-territorial units. Mayor Victor Gori stated that the CEC’s refusal was a political decision aimed at blocking the expression of citizens’ will: “The CEC worked in tandem with the State Chancellery to prevent the residents of Botnerești from deciding the future of their community,” the local elected official said.
The executive director of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM), Viorel Furdui, Ph.D. in Law, explained that a referendum is the only way to objectively reflect the will of all citizens. “What is happening now, when only 5–10% or even fewer residents are gathering, is manipulation. A democratic decision must be made by at least 50+1 votes of the citizens, in accordance with universally recognized democratic norms.”
Viorel Rusu, a legal expert with the Congress of Local Authorities in Moldova (CALM) and Doctor of Law, emphasized that both national legislation and European standards guarantee communities’ right to be consulted.
According to Article 5 of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, any change to territorial boundaries requires consultation with the affected communities, including through a referendum. The Electoral Code of the Republic of Moldova also stipulates that such fundamental issues as territorial demarcation must be put to a public vote.
The Central Election Commission requested that the territorial office of the State Chancellery in Căușeni verify the legality of the decision made by the Botnărești Local Council. The Chancellery deemed the initiative “illegal,” so the CEC refused to organize a referendum. However, local authorities and lawyers dispute this interpretation, arguing that the refusal contradicts democratic principles and the Republic of Moldova’s international obligations.
The Botnărești case raises important questions about local autonomy and the right of communities to determine their own fate. The CEC’s refusal is perceived by many as a restriction on citizens’ participation in the democratic process. In a country that has committed to upholding the European Charter of Local Self-Government, disregarding the will of the people could set a dangerous precedent.
The situation remains unresolved and tense, and local authorities in Botnărești insist that the referendum’s legitimacy cannot be denied. In essence, the dispute concerns not merely an administrative decision, but respect for a fundamental principle of democracy: the right of citizens to make decisions.
