Moldova's CEC files documents verifying outcome of referendum on European integration with Constitutional Court

CHISINAU. Oct 28 (Interfax) - The Moldovan Central Elections Commission (CEC) has submitted documents validating the outcome of the October 20 national constitutional referendum on European integration with the Constitutional Court.

The CEC recognized the October 20 national constitutional referendum as valid and endorsed the protocol on the voting results, the CEC's press service told Interfax. The CEC's resolutions on citizens' vote in the referendum, the protocols summing up the voting results, as well as the commission's report on organizing and holding the referendum were filed with the Constitutional Court.

In accordance with the Electoral Code, the Moldovan Constitutional Court is considering the documents submitted by the CEC within 10 days and approves or rejects the outcome of the national referendum by its ruling.

Hence, based on the protocols summarizing the voting results, which were drawn up and adopted by the district electoral councils, the CEC said that the voter turnout stood at 50.72% of the voter list. At least one third of voters need to vote to recognize the referendum as valid.

In total, 1,532,264 voters were handed ballots for the referendum, while 1,531,392 voters took part in the voting. Of the total 1,488,874 votes actually cast, 749,719 voted in favor of the country's accession to the European Union, while 739,155 voted against it. The difference is only 10,564 votes, or around 0.75%, which was made possible by Moldovan citizens who voted abroad. Over 180,235 voters who took part in the referendum voted for joining the EU at the polling stations abroad.

The referendum was conducted on Sunday, October 20, simultaneously with the first round of the presidential election. Moldovan citizens had to answer the question, "Do you support amendments to the Constitution in order for Moldova to join the EU?" Should the answer be affirmative, a number of amendments will be introduced to the constitution, whose text must be endorsed by the Constitutional Court.