Promolex observers report on series of irregularities (15.00) during Moldovan Parliamentary elections: multiple voting, voters taking fotos of ballots before casting them, intimidation of voters: Chisinau, 30 November 2014 Promo-LEX: Irregularities Abound at Polling Stations According to the first findings of Promo-LEX observers submitted by 15.00 hours, the following irregularities were found: Opening of Polling Stations Only 2 members of the PSEB were present at the opening of polling station [PS] no. 32 in Mihaileni (Briceni), and at the PS no. 155 in Chisinau, the protocol of the PS preparation for opening was filled in and introduced in the ballot box at 08.15 hours. Polling Station Arrangements In many polling stations there were numerous shortcomings in the equipment of the PS: non-functional line and cell phones (PS no.14 in Calarasi), no heating (PS no. 40 in Salcuta, Causeni), no electricity in PS no. 48 in Nicolaevca, Floresti (starting at 10.00 hours) and PS no. 7 in Holercani, PS no. 8 in Marcauti, PS no. 9 in Molovata, and PS no. 11 in Oxentea (Dubasari) between 10.45 and 12.40 hours. Failure to connect to the State Voters’ Register was registered in 34 PSs, which caused lines and resulted in some voters getting angry and refusing to vote: PSs nos. 4 and 32 in Colibasi, no. 54 in Pelinei (both in Cahul), PS no. 7 in Balatino (Glodeni), PS no. 10 in Cotiujenii Mari, PS no. 2 (both in Soldanesti), PS no. 7 in Straseni, PSs nos. 76, 86, 227, 103, 291, 217, 216, 205, 167, 177, 158, 185, 171, 164, 162, 274, 172, 272, and 300 (all in Chisinau), PS no. 60 in Taura Noua, PS no. 23 in Nicolaevca (both in Singerei), PS no. 12 in Nisporeni, PS no. 48 in Nicolaevca, Floresti, PS nos. 1 and 11 in Drochia, PS no. 19 in Hasnasenii Mari, Drochia, DECs in Basarabeasca, Edinet, Falesti, PS no. 63 in Zarnesti, PS no. 6 in Camenca (Glodeni), PS no. 63 in Secarenii Noi, PS no. 62 in Secareni, PS no. 64 in Cornesti, PS no. 44 in Mereseni (all in Hincesti), PS no. 92 in Chisinau, PS no. 1 in Donduseni, PS no. 254 in Codru (m. Chisinau), PS nos. 264 and 94 in Durlesti, Chisinau, PS no. 217, PS nos. 219, 227, 231, 208, 212 and 234 in Chisinau. A line of approximately 40 people was formed at PS no. 40 in Rezina, where residents from Ribnita vote. Violations were also registered at PS no. 103 in Chisinau, where PSEB members could not seal the mobile ballot box (leaving it unsealed), PS no. 86 in Chisinau, where the seal on the main ballot box broke, PS no. 111 in Chisinau, where a single ballot box was sealed, PS no. 1 in Cahul, where the ballot box has a dented corner, and one of the seals is missing, and PSs nos. 81 and 3 in Orhei, where pieces of paper were glued on the corners of the mobile ballot box, and were stamped. The arrangement of voting booths in PS no. 25 in Halahora de Sus (Briceni) is inappropriate, as the voter’s option is easily noticeable. A single main ballot box was prepared for PS no. 62 n Zirnesti (Cahul), along with one mobile ballot box. By 14.00 hours, the main ballot box was already full. Voter Lists At PS no. 4 in Drochia, 99 persons could not be found in the main voter list and were included in the supplementary voter list. Thirty persons could not be found in the main voter lists at PS no. 3 in Leova, and they were invited to register on the supplementary list, but they refused. The space for registering 150 voters at PS no. 59 in Sanatauca (Floresti) was filled up and the electoral bureau officials brought additional papers from village Bursuc. At PS no. 72 in Chisinau), a voter’s personal data were written down with mistakes. Voting Ballots PS no. 18 in Bisericani (Glodeni) received ballots only for 110 persons, although there were 118 people included in the main voter list. The electoral bureau of PS no. 85 in Chisinau failed to apply the “withdrawn” stamp on ballots next to the line of the candidate that withdrew from the poll. Failure to Apply the ”Elections 30.11.2014” Stamp on the ID Bulletin One person voted without having their ID insert stamped at PS no. 72 in Chisinau; three persons voted this way at PS no.72 in Buiucani, Chisinau, and other 2 persons voted without having their IDs stamped at PS no. 72 (Chisinau). Voting at Home The electoral body of PS no. 85 (Chisinau) admitted a request for a vote at home that came in on Election Day, in absence of a medical certificate, and the request was registered with a previous date. Violation of the Secret of Vote A violation of the vote secrecy was registered at PS no. 264 in Durlesti (Chisinau). An elderly disabled person was asked by the chair of the PSEB about their voting option, and he voiced his option publicly, the PSEB chair allowed the voter’s daughter to apply the stamp next to the respective candidate in his place. Incidents A voter fund that someone had already voted in his place at PS no. 23 in Dusmani, Glodeni – the police was called to investigate. Taking Photos of the Ballot and Their Cancellation One voter took a picture of the ballot before putting it into the bullet box at PS no. 12 in Albina (Cimislia), and was warned against that by PSEB members. The police detained a voter who took a photo of his ballot at PS no. 14 in Balti. Also, the PSEB cancelled the ballot of one voter after the later took a photo of his voting option at PS. No. 3 in Criuleni; later, the respective person voted repeatedly. A similar case happened at PS no. 222 in Chisinau, sector Riscani, where three persons took pictures of their votes and ballots, and one of them had their vote cancelled and was not allowed to vote again. Voting with Inadequate Documents Numerous persons voted using their foreign passports: one person in each of the following stations: PS no. 62 in Stefanesti (Floresti), PS no. 13 in Bulboaca (Briceni), PS no. 72 in Buiucani, Chisinau); and four persons voted in PS no. 2 in Marculesti (Floresti). A person voted at PS no. 72 in Buiucani, Chisinau, without having their ID card insert checked. Transportation of Voters Promo-LEX observers registered four cases of voter transportation: An Opel model car, registration plate RZAG 655, brought 4 voters, twice, to PS no. 7 in Rezina. The driver of the car is the husband of the raion chairperson. A person driving a Nisan car number CIY 931 has been bringing people to vote to PS no.45 in Troitcoie (Cimislia). Three buses and a van brought in 50-60 people to vote to PS no. 41 in Varnita (Anenii Noi). A Scania bus number CGE 240 brought approximately 26 persons with voter right certificates from Cimislia and Hincesti. A Scania bus, and other three cars (a yellow Mercedes Vito, a yellow Ford Transit, and a black BMW 525) brought in at least 33 persons to PS no. 3 in Straseni. Two buses (registration plates P499A and P335BC) brought in at least 40 persons from Ribnita to PS no. 42 in Rezina. M.S. brought voters to PS no. 29 in Peciste, Rezina, at least three times with his car (registration plate RZAG 685). Electoral Campaigning At PS no. 26 in Hirtop, the secretary of the mayor’s office, V.A., campaigned in favor of one of the candidates. At PS no. 15 in Dereneu (Calarasi), N.F. urged one of the voters to cast their vote in favor of a certain candidate. An observer n behalf of a candidate in PS no. 3 in Straseni campaigned in favor of the respective candidate. Other five cases of campaigning were registered at the following polling stations: PS no. 21 in Ialoveni, PS no. 54 in Peresecina, Orhei, PS no. 44 in Tanatarii Noi, Causeni, PS 284 in Bubuieci, m. Chisinau, and PS no. 7 in Causeni. Transnistrian Region The militsia post in village Corjova registered and verified the data of all the cars passing through to Cocieri and to the polling station. Contestations / Complaints Primo-LEX observers reported the first complaints/contestations submitted by candidates and/or their representatives at PS no. 51 in Onesti (Edinet), and PS no. 238 in Chisinau. Intimidation of Observers There were two cases of intimidation of voters at PS no. 21 in Ialoveni and PS no. 48 in Nicolaevca. Enclosed please find a document entitled: ”Statistical Data_15.00h”, which contains quantitative data on the voting process. The Election Monitoring Effort is part of the activities conducted by the civil society under the aegis of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections. The Monitoring Effort for the Parliamentary Election on 30 November 2014 has received technical assistance from the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Council of Europe, and the Stefan Batory Foundation from the funds provided by the Solidarity Fund as part of the “Support for Democracy” Programme of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For additional information, please contact: Galina Sanduta, Press Officer of the Promo-LEX Election Monitoring Effort GSM: 069 95 82 89, email: [email protected].
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 23:52:31 +0000