Electoral legislation might be amended in Moldova

Chisinau, 9 July /MOLDPRES/ - A draft law on the amendment of the Electoral Code, Contravention Code and code of media audiovisual services was approved by the parliament in the first reading today.    

Thus, MPs propose to introduce in the Electoral Code the interdiction to use a discourse based on hatred or inciting to discrimination in electoral campaign and in electoral agitation actions and to introduce sanctions for such actions in the Contravention Code.

Also, sanctions are seen for the involvement of religious cults in the electoral campaign, organized carriage of voters to polling stations, if the goal of this is to prompt the electors to vote for a certain candidate, involvement of non-commercial, charity and trade union organizations in the electoral campaign, incorrect coverage of the campaign by the media institutions.

The draft also contains other amendments, including giving the voter with disabilities right to apply facsimile instead of the signature, giving the observers the right of access to the full electoral lists, through the signing of a declaration of confidentiality, clear-cut regulation of the day when the electoral campaign starts for the runoff, shortening the period of time meant for voting, clear establishment of the terms when the electoral lists can be destroyed, etc.   

Another proposal provides for the establishment of the voting hours starting from 8:00 till 20:00 and not on the period 7:00-21:00, as it is at present.   

Also, lawmakers propose to establish clear-cut norms on the content and way of making electoral advertising, procedure of contestations, as well as the sanctions for the initiative groups, electoral competitors, electoral civil servants, media institutions.

The draft law is to be voted in the second reading too.