in numele si pe spinarea noastra:
October 14, 2003
Contra-publicitate?
O problema principala cu acest referendum pentru revizuirea Constitutiei este agresivitatea (si existenta) campaniei "Voteaza DA!" (sau "DA pentru Constitutie, Da pentru Europa"). Inclusiv pe Internet; banner-ele cu "DA" sunt peste tot! Nu informatiile, nu amanuntele privind referendumul, ci pur si simplu indrumarea sa votam intr-un anumit fel! Daca nu vi se pare corect nici voua, venind din partea guvernului, si daca aveti un site cu trafic mare, adaugati "butonul" de mai jos (dati-ne mai intai de veste) cu un link la petitia-protest.
Poate fi util si urmatorul text in limba engleza, care contine traducerea petitiei:
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We would like to bring to your attention the matter of the Referendum for the new law to modify the Constitution of Romania, to be held on Oct. 19th. These modifications were finalized on Sept. 18th (and made public on Sept. 22nd), and according to the law the referendum has to take place within 30 days of that date, interval in which the population must be thoroughly informed of the changes. However, the government has failed miserably in its duty to perform these tasks, and has instead used public money in order to launch a very aggressive "Vote Yes!" campaign urging people to vote for the modified Constitution. Moreover, the government has tried to mislead the population into believing that voting for the law and the Constitution in this form is synonymous to Romania being admitted to the E.U.. In fact, the vast majority of the population remains woefully ignorant of what the changes are, what they imply practically, and even about the specifics of voting in the Referendum. It has been reported in the media that some people in rural areas have been told they must "vote yes" on Oct. 19th, but believe they will be voting for the president!
Many of those citizens who have been able to inform themselves on the issue share the firm resolve to either boycott the referendum altogether (so as not to make up the 50% plus one of the electorate needed for the results to be official) or to vote "no" to stop the law from passing and the Constitution from being modified in this way and at this time, for reasons including the politics of the actual law, which has both good and bad points.
To address this situation in some way, and mainly as a symbolic gesture of protest and a way to voice public concerns not visible in the Romanian media, a group of concerned citizens have created an online petition expressing our outrage at the way this referendum we are asked to vote in has been organized.
We also feel the international media should be aware of this situation.
->For some information on the proposed changes to the Constitution, see: http://www.anchete.ro/documente/texte/107_ro.doc.
->The protest petition can be found at the following address, and the text follows: http://www.petitiononline.com/ConstRo/petition.html.
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To the Government, the Parliament, and the President of Romania, to the European Union
Petition-protest
On October 19, 2003, we are called to vote the most important law of the Romanian state, the Constitution. Moreover, the government is using our own money to tell us to vote "yes," even if we don't agree with the new text, or even if we don't know it. We are profoundly disappointed by the way in which this referendum was organized: 1. The text was written without consulting, in any way, the civil society, and through a process completely lacking transparency. 2. Neither the modifications to the old constitution nor their political, social, and economic implications have been made known to the wide public.
We, the citizens of Romania, are demanding the right to be informed and to be a part of the process of writing the most important law of this country. We are asking that the referendum be postponed until the government fulfills its obligations to the people of Romania: 1. to inform them properly (polls organized by independent institutions should show that the majority of the population knows and understands the implications of the new Constitution); 2. to consult them and offer them opportunities to actively participate in the process of writing the new text.
This petition will be sent to the government, the parliament, and the president of Romania, as well as interested UE institutions. We only want to be a part of the European Union as a country that functions based on a law that truly represents the will of the people.
If the referendum is not postponed, we will continue to protest by boycotting it, or by voting "no" on the ballot, for the reasons mentioned above, as well as for personal reasons related to the text of the new law. Therefore, this petition will be a form of public protest meant to be heard not only by this country, but also by the international community.
*Warning! This petition does not represent the action of any political organization, but the personal will of those who sign it. For this reason, any intention to use it in order to gain political capital, by any political party or organization, is forbidden.