CEC rejects referendum bid to dismiss Bălți mayor Alexandr Petkov
The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) rejected the registration request from an initiative group seeking to collect signatures to organize a local referendum for the dismissal of Bălți's mayor, Alexandr Petkov.
The decision was made with six votes in favor, two against, and one abstention, citing several technical and legal irregularities.
"Technically, errors were found in the submitted documents. For example, the local authority's notification about the initiative group's founding assembly is incorrectly dated. Additionally, three initiative group members reside outside the administrative boundaries, which is against the provisions of the Electoral Code. Furthermore, no court rulings or official documents substantiate the allegations against the mayor, and the initiators' claims rely solely on their statements," explained CEC Secretary Diana Muntean.
She also emphasized that a local referendum is a democratic tool, but its initiation must strictly adhere to legal regulations. Moreover, the dismissal of a mayor through a referendum can only proceed if there is clear evidence and official documentation supporting allegations of unfulfilled duties or violations of moral and ethical norms.
Late last year, socialist municipal councilors in Bălți demanded Mayor Alexandr Petkov’s resignation, citing poor performance and mismanagement of the city.
Alexandr Petkov was elected mayor on November 19, 2023, defeating socialist candidate Maxim Moroșan in the second round of the election.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
