Printing of ballot papers for parliamentary polls starts in Moldova

Chisinau, 11 February /MOLDPRES/ – The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has announced today the start of printing ballots for parliamentary elections and the Republican consultative referendum on 24 February. The printed ballots are to be distributed to polling stations throughout Moldova.

According to the CEC's head, Alina Russu, the ballot papers and the Republican consultative referendum will be imprinted with three state printers. "We are now at the Polygraphic combine where bulletins will be printed for constituencies 19 – 38 in the country. The price of a ballot is MDL 0.13. The total circulation for parliamentary elections and Republican consultative referendum will be over 11 million bulletins," said Alina Russu.

The voting papers are printed on matte paper, and these will be distinguished by colour. The bulletins for parliamentary elections in the uninominal constituencies will be violet, and in the national constituency – smoked gray. In the case of the Republican consultative referendum, the bulletin containing question: Are you for the reduction of number of the MPs in the Parliament from 101 to 61? will have the pale yellow colour and the one on which the question: Are you for the people to be able to revoke dismiss the MPs in office if they do not properly fulfill their obligations? – will be of beige colour.

Also, the CEC leadership specified that ballot papers for foreign polling stations have already been printed. "The electoral authorities are ready to send them to the polling stations abroad. In polling stations in the country, the ballots will be distributed as of 20 February," said Alina Russu.

The parliamentary elections will be held for the first time after a mixed electoral system. Thus, 50 MPs will be elected on party lists and 51 ones in uninominal constituencies. The same day, it will be held an advisory referendum on reducing the number of the MPs and their dismissal.