Promo-LEX observers say more incidents reported at current ballot as compared to previous elections in Moldova

Chisinau, 5 November /MOLDPRES/ - The observers of the Promo-LEX association till 14:00 reported 659 signalings of incidents at the general local elections. A number of 314 of them have been already processed. The programme manager of Promo-LEX, Nicolae Panfil, today unveiled data to this effect.       

„On the whole, we can already find out, at this point, that we have an increase in the number or a larger share of incident situations reported against the previous ballots,’’ Nicolae Panfil said.   

According to Panfil, the Promo-LEX  observers reported 37 cases of interruption of the processes of filming electoral operations, 11 cases of electoral agitation in the perimeter of 100 metres or at the headquarters of polling stations, 22 cases of deficiencies in electoral lists, including ‘’discrepancies of addresses, dead voters or signatures instead of other people.’’  

„Deficiencies were found out in the work of the Elections automated information system. There were diverse situations: from suspension of the work or situations when the system showed that the elector had voted, while the concerned voter says that he/she did not vote. Twenty one cases were recorded in all,’’ Nicolae Panfil noted.     

Another 15 incidents regard the unjustified presence of unauthorized people at the headquarters of polling stations or in the area of 100 metres, nine cases of presence of advertising materials in the area of polling stations, four cases of organized carriage of voters, 60 cases of unjustified group voting, 19 problematic situations as to the use of ballot papers contrary to procedures, incidents dealing with the sealing up of the ballot boxes.   

The promo-LEX programme manager also said that ‘’a pretty large share of the findings registered till 14:00 represent the cases of infringement of the secret of the vote and this is worrying.’’ ‘’We talk here about such cases as photographing of ballot papers, presentation of baller papers with the vote given, defective placement of voting booths, which allow seeing voter’s option. Forty five cases of this kind have been reported in all,’’ Nicolae Panfil said.     

„Our observers ascertained at least two cases in polling stations when representatives of an electoral contender keep the record of the electors who come to vote. So, the voters are counted; in some cases, one has impression that they know quite exactly how many voters should come, who are the voters they are waiting for and are monitoring in this respect. This can be an index of more significant problems,’’ Nicolae Panfil specified. ‘’At the same time, we have a case at Jora de Mijloc, Orhei district, where the non-distributed ballot papers are preserved inside the polling station, nearby the head of the station, and the reason invoked is the lack of a safe,’’ the quoted source noted.    

At the today’s general local polls, Promo-LEX delegated 602 static observers, including at all polling stations from the Balti and Chisinau municipalities, as well as 237 polling stations from the rest of the country, selected based on a representative sample. Also, the electoral process from the rest of the polling stations, in their immediate neighbourhood, and the routes of access to them are monitored also by another 142 observers grouped in 71 mobile teams.

General local elections are held in Moldova today. The citizens with right to vote are expected at those 1,958 polling stations, in order to elect their mayors and councilors. The voting started at 07:00 and will end at 21:00.