The European People’s Party (EPP) Presidency, together with the EPP Group Presidency, urge the Republic of Moldova’s government to follow the 19 June recommendations of the Venice Commission regarding changes to the country’s electoral system. Following the meeting of the two Presidencies, EPP President Joseph Daul made the following statement: “I fully welcome the independent analysis of the Venice Commission — the highest European advisory body in electoral and constitutional matters — with regard to this change to the electoral system in the Republic of Moldova. The conclusions of the Venice Commission’s report clearly reinforce the EPP’s beliefs and concerns as to the gravity of the joint proposal, put forward by the Democratic Party (PD) and the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), to amend the electoral law. The proposed electoral system, according to the Venice Commission, would entail a high risk of rendering candidates easily influenced by vested interests; it would also entail poor representation of minorities and women and disproportionate representation, especially regarding the diaspora community. The Venice Commission plainly states that such a change is inadvisable. To this extent, if PD and PSRM continue to ignore the Venice Commission’s recommendations, the EPP will do its utmost to ensure that EU funding is delayed until the authorities withdraw the law. Fighting against corruption, implementing the rule of law and reforming the judiciary are a few of the main priorities the government must concentrate its efforts on in order to bring tangible results for Moldova’s people — not a new electoral law meant to keep in power PD and PSRM. Finally, this joint proposal is meant to benefit only two political parties, PSRM and PD, which want to maintain power at any cost. A law that has passed the first reading with a fake majority created in the Parliament, and with the support neither of its citizens nor of the opposition, breaches the democratic principles Moldova has signed up to in the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.”