Promo-LEX association of Moldova observers report over 650 signalings of incidents in holding elections

Chisinau, 20 October /MOLDPRES/ - Over 650signanings of incidents till 14:00 were reported by observers of the Promo-Lex Association, who are today present in more polling stations of Moldova and from abroad, in order to monitor the carrying out of the voting process at the presidential elections and the republican constitutional referendum. The head of the Observation Mission, Nicolae Panfil, unveiled data to this effect.   

Most incidents regard the infringement of the secret of vote through photographing ballot papers, posting the ballot paper with the vote expressed or the defective placement of ballot papers, which allows visualizing the voter’s option. Sixty such cases were signaled in all during 9:00-14:00. ‘’The photographing of ballot papers can point to such a problem as the controlled vote or someone’s attempt to check the vote, in order to prompt the electors to vote in one way or another and the photo might represent evidence in this respect that the person voted as he/she was expected to,’’ Nicolae Panfil said.     

The observers reported six cases of attempts or even situations of material or financial reward given to the voter in exchange to the vote. ‘’At the polling stations from Moscow, at the entrance, a group of young people were giving for free to voters short coats with the inscription, Russia-Moldova. The group also gives to the people who already leave the polling stations invitations to a nearby coffee house and the access to the pub is allowed only based on these numbered invitations. Also, the group in blue short coats gives to citizens flyers with a card which, upon activation, provides certain benefits, such as the free Internet or 5,000 free of charge sound amplifiers,’’ Panfil noted.    

In another case signaled by Promo-LEX observers, a group of voters were discussing that ‘’they voted for a woman candidate from the ballot paper and 1,000 lei was promised to them for the vote.’’    

Today morning in Dorotcaia, two voters approached a vehicle where Promo-LEX  were sitting and ‘’suggested to sell their vote.’’ ‘’They informed the observers that they can vote at order and that they heard that 600 lei was paid. After leaving the polling station, they repeatedly approached the observers and showed a blue transfer picture with the word ‘’Voted’’ on it,’’ Nicolae Panfil also said.    

At the same time, in Cocieri, a group of three persons were discussing about ‘’the sum of 2,000-3,000 lei on behalf of a political formation for the remuneration of the votes given.’’   

The observers reported also three cases of organized carriage of voters, by coaches, mini-buses or other transport units. Thus, at a polling station, during 7:40-8:10, more transport means were noticed, which were carrying, in organized way, 4-5 people to the polling station. Another case was at the Cimislia polling station, where people, who were getting onboard a vehicle, in an organized, were noticed.      

Another incidents signaled by observers concern deficiencies in electoral lists (39 cases), interruption of the process of shooting electoral operations (38 cases), unjustified group voting (30 cases), presence of electoral advertising materials in the area of the polling stations (15 cases), electoral agitation (14 cases), unjustified presence of unauthorized people in the precincts of the polling station or in an area of 100 metres (19 cases).   

For the election day, Promo-LEX delegated by one observer for short term to 614 polling stations, selected based on a sample established by a sociological company. Besides, by one static observer was sent to those 30 polling stations where the electors from the Transnistrian region exercise their right to vote. Special attention is paid to the polling stations from abroad, where 91 static observers were delegated.    

Besides the static observers, Promo-LEX detached 89 mobile teams, in order to monitor the electoral process at the polling stations which are not comprised in the sample. The mobile teams will observe the ways of access to polling stations, including for the ones where the electors from the Transnistrian region will vote.