ELECTION PROCESS MONITORING
Report No. 5
Monitoring period: February 16 –
March 2, 2005
“Election process monitoring” is a project
developed in association with the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, the
League for the Defence of Human Rights in Moldova (LADOM) and the Association
for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT) within the framework of the NGO’s Civic
Coalition for Free and Fair Elections “Coalition 2005”, composed of over 150
organizations at the moment of presenting this report.
The present report reflects the monitoring
results for the period of February 16 – March 2, 2005. The information was
collected by long term observers (LTOs): one observer in each of the 32 rayons
on the right bank of Nistru and 7 regional coordinators in Chisinau, Balti,
Soroca, Orhei, Cahul, Comrat, and Causeni. The election process monitoring was
conducted under internationally accepted standards and according to principles
stated in the Project’s Code of Conduct and the Regulations of the Moldovan Central
Election Commission (CEC) regarding the status of observers.
The information presented in this report was
collected using a weekly questionnaire concerning the course of the election
process, including central and local authorities’ adherence to the Election
Code, state preparations for election administration, the conduct of campaigns,
and press activities.
The
report was prepared by: Sergiu Buşcaneanu, Ruslan Borzin, Dumitru Bogaci,
Denis Toma, Olesea Roşca, Ion Manole, Natalia Gîrdea, Iulia
Kirniţki and Dorin Chirtoacă.
Executive summary
During the referred period, February 16
– March 2, 2005, the following positive developments are noted: expired
identification documents were accepted as valid documents for voting, additional
broadcasting time was granted for organizing electoral debates, conditions were
provided for Moldavian citizens from the localities on the left bank of Nistru to
participate, and polling procedures were revised.
At the same time, there were several negative tendencies noted.
Despite previous
comments on this issue, in a number of areas students and Moldavian citizens
living abroad were excluded from the main lists of voters. The above-mentioned groups were not able to
receive adequate information on how to receive absentee voting
certificates. Measures were not undertaken
to open additional polling places in countries with larger Moldovan populations.
In addition, there was uneven implementation of the requirement to display voter’s
lists at least 10 days before the election date. All these may cause a low level of participation
from certain segments of the population during the March 6th parliamentary elections.
At this point, no electoral contestant
has declared the amount of campaign financing and the appropriate measures for
publishing the CEC decisions in Monitorul
Oficial were also not undertaken.
Relative
to the previous monitoring periods, this report highlights the increase in
tensions between the electoral contestants and shows certain new deficiencies
in the election process. These
deficiencies include: pressure applied to businesses, attempts to
inappropriately influence voters, church clergy participation in campaigning, and
inadequate voter lists,
including arbitrary exclusion of voters, especially those who are kwown to be living
abroad.
Finally,
previously-noted deficiencies continued. These include the following: public stigmatization of
certain electoral contestants, voter intimidation, unauthorized involvement of
police authorities in the electoral campaign, unequal opportunities for the
electoral contestants to campaign, use of state resources for campaigning, distribution
of humanitarian aid in order to influence voters, and lack of space for
campaigning.
On the whole, the above-mentioned
observations question the integrity of the election process. We especially express our concern that certain
administrative obstacles might cause a low level of participation among certain
groups of voters and the continued deterioration of relations among the candidates. This may influence overall political
stability during the post-election period.
Findings
I. Central Public
Authorities
For the referred period there were reported cases of
unjustified involvement of police authorities in the electoral campaign, intimidation
against an electoral contestant, unbalanced treatment of a candidate and use of
public resources for campaigning. Comparing to the previous monitoring period,
the involvement of police authorities in the electoral campaign continued to
vary.
A.
Involvement of police representatives in electoral campaign
·
Intimidation of businesses
During
the referred period, LTOs noticed some cases of abuses against economical
agents involved in activities of printing, publishing and editing advertising leaflets
at the order of certain electoral contestants.
On
February 4, 5, 7, 8, 2005, workers of the Centre for Combating
Economic Crimes and Corruption (CCECC) made a book-keeping and technological control at the publishing
house Elan-Poligraf from Chişinău. The
reasons were different, but especially they concerned the activity of the
publishing house with the election process. Until that moment, over the past
seven years, the publishing house was never checked. The publishing house
activates under contract bases for the leaflets of both the governing party and
the opposition. From the actions undertaken by the CCECC, it results that they
were more interested in the agreements with the opposition electoral
contestants.
On
February 17, this year, 7 workers of the Police Station from Stefan-Voda rayon
confiscated the equipment of the “Reclama Expres” Ltd. without good reason or authorization from the
authorities.. In Teleneşti, on February 18, two SIS workers, together with
the chief of the Town Police Station, V. Cojocari, searched the office of “Reclama
Expres” Ltd. and unreasonably suspended its activity, sealing up the main door.
A similar case took place in Calaraşi. According the LTOs, the abuses of police
workers and of SIS on these businesses is explained by the fact they published
campaign materials for PŢCDM. It should be mentionned that in Călăraşi in this activity
was involved a citizen of Russian
Federation, Svetlana Reznic, who was deported from the Republic of Moldova
together with another group of citizens of the Russian Federation.
· Intimidation of some
mass media institutions
On February 24, 2005, a representative from the Ministry of Internal
Affairs, Anatol Rusik, and another person who refused to introduce himself, entered
the editor’s office of “Moldavsckie vedomosti” stating they were looking for
some female citizens of the
· Electoral
contestants intimidation
Nicolae
Ianuş and Valentin Afteni reported that Bureau on Crossborder Crimes and Information
employees searched the Cahul premises of the PPCD and BMD. Lease agreements were checked. In the case of
BMD, the workers were interested whether the representatives paid rent, verified
the electoral advertising leaflets, and asked to be shown the source of the campaign
finances.
·
Obstruction
of electoral contestants in holding rallies
On
February 16, a group of PSDM activists was forbidden to hold a rally in Comrat.
The driver accompanying the group had his driving license confiscated, and Elena Corjan, PSDM candidate, was taken at the City Police Station where she
was reprimanded that the activists did not request approval from the local
administration for holding the rally in the town.
LTOs
reported cases when police removed electoral advertising posters. In
Coşniţa and Dubăsari villages the leaflets from opposition
fractions were removed from the official advertising stands. A specific case
was reported in Rîşcani town where police workers were tearing off
electoral leaflets posted behind the main door of the PPCD premises from the
town.
Also,
a BMD supporter reported that that electoral advertising material in Chioselia
and Cantemir villages was confiscated.
·
Documented
activities of police authorities on the campaign events organized by electoral
contestants
LTOs
report that on February 25 Serafim Urechean, BMD leader, was shadowed by police
workers on the route between Rîşcani town and a local village. Being
approached by Serafim Urechean, they admitted following him on orders from the
police inspector.
B.
Attack against an
electoral contestant
Between
07.50 p.m. and 08.00 p.m. on February 20, “
According
the statements of the candidate Ştefan Matei, he did not approve the broadcast of the film. Before the broadcasting he had a meeting on
this issue with Sergiu Mocanu, counselor of the President of
the Republic of Moldova. This fact suggests
that of one of main central public institutions was involved in this attack
against the PPCD.
C.
Differential treatment
of electoral contestants
The
Ministry of Justice has complicated the registration of Socius, the PSDM press body. According the communiqué from
the PSDM, this affects the party’s ability to transmit its message to the
electors and to execute its electoral rights.
The
LTOs reported the disappearance of a portion of electoral advertising stand
representing the PŢCDM within the Railway Station Bălţi-Slobozia,
while the other portion with electoral material representing the PCRM remained
untouched.
D.
Use of public
resources in electoral purpose
· Use of
administrative pressure
Valeriu
Calmaţui, PCRM parliament deputy, threatened persons responsible for
checking voters lists in Ungheni town with punishment if they would not present
him detailed information on the electoral preferences of the voters, including government
workers from the town. LTOs recognize the possibility that there may be
post-election political repercussions against civil servants from this town for
supporting other electoral contestants than PCRM.
LTOs
reported that the mayor ordered distribution of electoral leaflets for the PCRM
at the post office from Corlăteni village, Rîşcani rayon. At the post office from Grinăuţi
village, Rîşcani village, leaflets supporting the PŢCDM were
distributed.
· Electoral incitement
during the civil servants’ on-site official calls
LTOs
reported that on February 16, during a visit monitoring post office employees
in the Telenesti rayon, Valerian Cristea, vice prime-minister and PCRM deputy
candidate, asked the employees of ÎS “Poşta Moldovei” and Centre for
Telecommunications to vote for PCRM.
On
February 15, 2005 in Văratic and Dumeni villages, the Minister of Health,
A, Gherman, carried out an official visit within which he offered cases with
medicines to medical workers for campaign purposes. The call took place
according a schedule approved by the vice-minister Vasile Tarlev for 39 office
holders, including Government members.
The
February 25 President’s, Vladimir Voronin, and Parliament Speaker’s, Eugenia
Ostapciuc, official visit to Cahul town and in Recea village,
Rîşcani rayon, had a strong electoral character.
II.
Local
public authorities
For the referred period, there continued to be reported
cases of electors’ intimidation, deficiencies in voters’ lists, cases of differential treatment to candidates, use of public
resources for campaigning, as well as inadequacies in spaces designed for
hanging campaign posters.
A.
Candidate Intimidation
On
February 22, the vice-mayor of Cupcini, Ion Tcaci, threatened to fire M.
Berbeca, educator at the kindergarten No. 2 for having BMD promotional
materials on her table.
B.
Voter’ lists
The LTOs noticed that there are certain localities
where the process of drawing the voters’ lists was burdened. Updates took place after the deadline of 10
days before the election date. Such instances were reported in Cantemir,
Floreşti, Sîngerei and Ştefan-Vodă rayons.
In
some areas from Anenii Noi, Bălţi, Cantemir, Căuşeni,
Cimişlia, Dubăsari, Făleşti, Ialoveni, Ocniţa,
Ştefan-Vodă, Teleneşti, Ungheni rayons, although the process of
drawing the voters’ lists ended within the terms foreseen by the legislation,
their delivery to polling stations was delayed. According Article 30 Sec, a) of
the Election Code the lists are to be checked from February 14-24, thus being
possible to make them public with at least 10 days before the election date.
Giving
this, LTOs note the potential for errors in the voters’ lists, partially
confirmed after an preliminary investigation of the voters’ lists. This was
reported in some localities, especially from Anenii Noi, Străşeni and
Taraclia rayons. There were reported cases when persons under 18 years (e.g. Străseni),
or dead persons were included in the voters’ lists. Also, there were reported
cases of incomplete information on the voters’ lists (lack of the year of
birth, information from the identification documents etc.).
The
researched emphasized that in a number of localities from Anenii Noi,
Bălţi, Briceni, Cantemir, Căuşeni, Drochia, Edineţ,
Făleşti, Glodeni, Leova, Rîşcani, Străşeni,
Taraclia and Ungheni rayons, Moldovan citizens living abroad were excluded from
the main voters’ lists at the order of the CEC. Arbitrary practices of
including or excluding electors from the voters’ lists were also reported,
especially in Căuşeni and Soroca rayons.
In
this context, it was reported that in a number of areas in Drochia,
Edineţ, Făleşti, Străşeni rayons, students were
excluded from the main voters’ lists, including those who do not hold a voting certificate
in violation of the Election Code and the January 28CEC Regulation.
The
LTOs noticed that the voters’ lists were not presented with at least 10 days
before the election date in a series of localities, especially in Anenii Noi,
Bălţi, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Căuşeni, Drochia,
Floreşti, Ocniţa, Orhei, Străşeni and Teleneşti rayons.
Another
factor contributing to poorly-maintained voters’ lists is that the city
administration lacks appropriate technical resources.
Differential
treatment for electoral contestants
On
February 15, Victor Cebanov, PCRM mayor in Cairaclia village, Taraclia rayon, impeded
Serghei Fujenco, PŢCDM candidate from holding a meeting with the voters.
On
March 2, the Mayoralty of Taraclia rejected the request of BMD to hold a
meeting with voters in the
On
February 17, the BMD representative, Oleg Serebrian, was forbidden to hold a
meeting with electors within the premises of the mayoralty from Teleneşti
town.
PPCD
and UCM activists met difficulties in carrying out rallies in Corjova and
Criuleni villages. The BMD mayor, Gheorghe Ojog, forbade the PPCD to hang
electoral posters on the electoral advertising stands. The PPCD activists were threatened and
handled roughly by the district officer, Vasile Macarenco.
The
mayor of Recea village, Rîşcani rayon, T. Grăjdeanu, prevented
PPCD supporters, D. Lupaşcu and I. Rotăraş, to hang a poster
announcing a visit from the PPCD vice-president, Vlad Cubreacov.
On
February 22, the Singerei administration refused to give the local cultural
center for a meeting Serafim Urechean, BMD leader.
On
the streets of Ungheni a minibus equipped with sound amplifier system
repeatedly spread the message of the mayor Vitalie Vrabie to vote for PCRM.
The
LTOs also observed that the Zăicani village administration offered free space
for a meeting for Eugenia Ostapciuc, a PCRM deputy candidate. In the case of such a meeting with the PPCD,
the mayoralty proposed a 150 MDL fee.
C.
Use of
administrative resources in electoral purpose
· Use of
administrative pressure
On
February 18, the chief of the rayon polyclinic ordered the employees to come to
a campaign meeting with PCRM representatives.
A similar case was reported in Bălţi city, where the teachers from
school No. 21 were required by the principal, Valentina Goiman, to attend a campaign
meeting with PCRM representatives that took place within the school No. 13 from
the city.
Officers
from the Riscani rayon council were forbidden to participate in a February 25 rally
with Serafim Urechean, BMD leader. In
the case of a similar meeting with Eugenia Ostapciuc, PCRM deputy candidate, pressure
was applied to attend the meeting.
The
mayor of Căuşeni town, Anatol Zaremba, asked his employees to attend
the electoral meeting with Vadim Mişin PCRM candidate.
· Use of public resources
Because
the premises of the BMD staff from Ialoveni is located in the rayon council
building, and the PCRM from Balti city is situated within the Informational
Technology Department (DTI), the LTOs consider it possible that office space
and communication services may be used from public resources in either
situation.
· Use of official
vehicles
On
February 20, PCRM activists traveled by ambulance in Zabriceni village,
Edineţ rayon, to distribute campaign material. On the same day, Boris
Cebotari, chief of the Educational Department of the Falesti rayon council, and
PCRM activists, used the council’s Finance Department car to conduct
campaigning activities.
The
LTOs point out that Pentelei Cuiumju, vice-mayor of Taraclia town, and two
other local government employees used an official vehicle during the working
hours to distribute PCRM campaign materials.
D.
Spaces for electoral advertising
The
LTOs have noticed that there are still a large number of areas where special spaces for
electoral advertising have not been set up. Such localities were noticed in the
following rayons: Rîşcani
and Ştefan-Vodă.
In addition, there are places where stands were not
set up for campaign advertising. Such a problem was noticed in Anenii
Noi, Drochia, Rîşcani, Străşeni, Ştefan-Vodă,
Taraclia, Teleneşti and Ungheni rayons.
Another problem is that in certain areas the spaces
for campaign advertising are inadequate (Cahul
town, Orhei town, a series of localities from Drochia, Făleşti,
Ialoveni, Orhei, Străşeni and Ungheni rayons).
In some cases, the spaces for campaign advertising have
been set up in official buildings (such as cultural centers and city
administration buildings), thus limiting voter access to these stands. Such
cases were noticed in Râşcani rayon.
If dedicated space doesn’t exist, this tends to lead
to improperly-placed campaign posters and subsequent official pressure on
campaigners. There were several attempts
to punish people for improper campaign poster placement noticed in Laloveni
rayon. Administrative cases were filed against 6 PPCD supporters, who received
fines of 180 MDL for incorrectly placing campaign posters, without taking into
account that no dedicated space existed in those areas.
III.
Election Administration
During
the referred period, positive developments included additional broadcasting
time for debates was granted, vote tabulation procedures were revised. Problems included difficulties guaranteeing
voting rights, deficiencies in local electoral organizations, and poor
transparency in the process of election administration.
A.
Election Campaign
Coverage
The
“Election Process Monitoring” project welcomes the February 23 CEC decision to change
the Concept and Regulation on mass media campaigning. We welcome the additional
90 minutes, including Sunday time, for organization of electoral debates on
public TV and radio stations.
At
the same time, we express our sorrow that the debates were not launched at the
beginning of the electoral campaign. The
additional time for these debates was accepted only at the end of this
campaign, which brought prejudices for voters to adequately and objectively
familiarize themselves with the main stages of the campaign.
B.
Vote tabulation
procedures
Reconsideration
of the vote tabulation procedures, in accordance with Venice Commission advice,
is another positive development noted within this election process period. The
display of ballots one by one to the other members of the polling committee and
to the observers present during counting will increase the transparency of the
process. Welcomed
is also the decision to recheck invalid ballots by the members of the polling
station committees.
C.
Warranty of the right to vote
· Voting for the persons with expired identification documents
· Students’ voting
Although
a new procedure for students to vote was adopted, the number of students who came
to pick up their certificates for the right to vote could be very low. The responsible authorities did not undertake
sufficient measures to organize an information campaign for this voter group on
how to receive these certificates and of exercising the right to vote. One of
the direct consequences of this state might be the reduced participation of
students at the elections.
· Voting of Moldovan citizens
from the left bank of Nistru
During
the referred period, it was reported the approval by CEC of the decision that
regulates the participation at the Parliament Elections of the Republic of
Moldova for Moldovan citizens living on the left bank of Nistru and in Bender
city. Taking into consideration the guarantee of minimal conditions for this
category of citizens to participate at elections, the LTOs express their continued
insistence for repeated recommendations made by the civil society to provide transport
means for these voters at the polling places in areas under Chisinau control,
as well as conducting a mass informing campaign on how to vote.
Similarly,
not providing additional support for the Moldovan citizens from the left bank
of Nistru to participate might cause a low turnout at the elections.
· Moldovan Citizens
Voting Abroad
D.
Electoral bodies
· Creation of polling
station electoral councils
The
LTOs seized infringements of the electoral schedule regarding the deadline
(February 14) for creating electoral councils of the polling places in Riscani
rayon.
The
LTOs also report the insufficient training of some members of the electoral
councils of the polling places. This issue was noted for certain councils from Căuşeni,
Râşcani and Taraclia rayons.
· Support by some
members of electoral council
Between
February 17 and 24, Larisa Zgardan and Lilia Popa, members of the electoral
council of the polling place No. 46 from Redi-Cereşnovăţ distributed
BMD campaign material, and on February 27, Gavriliuc Galina, member of the polling
station election council No. 2 from Edinet town, distributed PCRM campaign
material.
· Technical capacity
of electoral organizations
The
LTOs reported that more territorial electoral councils do not have a computer
and limit themselves at keeping their decisions only in printed form, which can
creates difficulties for the observers to have access to the decision of the
respective electoral bodies.
E.
Reduced transparency
of the election process
It is unfortunate that from the time of the Second
report on election process monitoring until the present there have been no
measures undertaken to publish CEC decisions in Monitorul oficial. This continues to question the transparency of
the election process.
During
this period it was reported the refusal of the President of CEC from Floresti
to present to the observers the decisions issued by this council and to allow
their access to some sessions of CEC from Floresti.
IV.
Electoral
contestants
During
the referred period, the LTOs noted the straining of the relationships of the
main electoral contestants, infringements of the CEC Regulation on declaring
financial means of electoral contestants, cases of distributing cash and
humanitarian aid for campaigning, as well as continuing violation of the
provisions foreseen for dedicated campaign advertising space.
A.
Relationships
between the electoral contestants
Once
the electoral campaign comes to an end, the relationships between the main
electoral contestants worsened dramatically. PCRM and BMD are accusing each
other of entangled relationships with underworld groupings, the reports between
the PCRM and PPCD worsened after the attempts to publicly stigmatize the last,
those between the PCRM and PSDM worsened while the social-democrats faced an
increasing number of problems during the electoral campaign, and those between
the PPCD and BMD are shadowed after mutual attacks addressed towards the moral
profiles of their leaders.
On
the evening of February 19, in Balti city, Vladimir Vitiuc, candidate for
depute function from behalf the PCRM, and Andrei Ciornîi, city counselor
from behalf the PCRM, have physically aggressed Denis Podoprigora, BMD
representative. Arriving at the scene, police workers did not undertake any
measures.
B.
Electoral funds of
electoral contestants
The
LTOs report that until now no electoral contestant did respect the obligation
foreseen by Article 38 Para. (1) Lett. a) of the Election Code to declare in
press during one month after the initial of the electoral campaign of the
financial resources and other means of material support of their activity.
C.
Distribution of cash
and humanitarian aid for campaign purposes
According
the LTOs, the BMD representatives donated money to more churches from Telenesti
rayon. The prime-minister, Vasile Tarlev, PCRM deputy candidate, made donations
in form of medicines in Cuşmirca and Vadul Raşcov localities,
Şoldăneşti, also offering a TV-set to the lyceum from the last
locality.
At
a voters meeting with the prime-minister Vasile Tarlev in Basarabeasca town on February
19, within some teachers from Sadaclia village complained about the local
school’s conditions. On February 22, items
were brought to the school: sport equipment, 300 slates and 5 m3 of boards.
The
LTOs revealed that at the end of the meeting with the electors organized by UMPR
at the cultural center in Edinet, the persons present at this meeting were
handed envelope with 50 MDL.
In
all these cases it was violated Article 38 Para. (7) of the Election Code.
D.
Advertising
electoral leaflets
The majority of electoral contestants do not respect
the obligation to hang the advertising electoral leaflets only in the purposely
equipped places for electoral advertising. Leaflets representing PCRM, PPCD,
BMD, PSDM, BEPR, UMPR, PŢCDM, PDSEM, independent candidates Silvia,
Matei Ştefan, Tătaru Tudor could be noticed in unauthorized places. In
certain cases, responsible for this situation are more likely the local public
authorities which did not offer yet such spaces or disposed the equipment of
certain places for electoral advertising of small dimensions. In the other cases,
the electoral contestants are responsible for violating the Election Code.
E.
Lack of information
foreseen by Article 47 (5) of the Election Code on electoral leaflets
The
observers reported that the electoral leaflets representing PCRM, BMD, BEPR,
MSPRR, UCM, UMPR, PŢCDM, PDSEM do not contain information on the date of publishing, number of copies and editor house that
published them. These data miss also from the leaflets of the independent
candidates Matei
Ştefan and Andrei Ivanţoc.
V.
Miscellaneous
During
the referred period, there were noticed first cases of church involvement in
the election process and a case of electoral disputes.
A.
Involvement of
church in the election process
The
LTOs reported that during the divine service, the priest of the church from Vinogradovca
village, Taraclia rayon, campaigned for PCRM, while in the church from Vadul-Leca
village, Teleneşti rayon, in favor of BMD.
B.
Electoral disputes
Dumitru
Duca, member of the polling place No. 2 from Cimişlia town, was dismissed
in his absence from this quality during the session of the Town council from
February 2, this year, under Article 33 Para. 6 and Article 33 Para. 2 of the
Election Code. According the LTOs, this decision was determined by a request
from January 31 of the Communist Counselors addressed to the Cimislia mayor, by
which they requested to exclude Dumitru Duca from the staff of this polling
place.
The
decision of the Cimislia Town Council was appealed at the district court.
Although, there were not brought conclusive proves confirming that Dumitra Duca
would have violated Article 32 Para. 6 of the Election Code, the judge Nicolae
Scurea pronounced himself in favor of Cimislia Town Council.
In
this context, the LTOs remark that on February 28, the PCRM counselors within
the Cimislia Town Council were called at the local premises of this fraction by
Iosif Chetraru, depute in Parliament from behalf the PCRM, examining together
all those 73 persons proposed for the Town Council in quality of members of
polling places.
Concerns
The deficiencies and issues, as presented, raise
serious concerns in assuring a free and integral character to the electoral
process. The most problematic issues include:
·
Warranty of the constitutional right to vote for all the electors –
the students and Moldavian citizens with residence on the left bank of Nistru
were not familiarized with the procedure of their participation at election,
there is no clear obligation on guaranteeing transport means to the electors
from the Transnistrian region at the polling places from the localities under the
subordination of Chisinau, there were not undertaken measures to open
additional polling places abroad for a more plenary capitalization of the
ballots of the Moldavian citizens who are abroad. All these may cause a low level of participation of
these categories at the Parliament elections from March 6;
·
Relationships
between the main electoral contestants
– worsening of these
relationships might compromise the political stability in the country during
the post-election period;
·
Corruption
of electors – existence of such examples at the
end of the electoral campaign announces their probability also during the
election date;
·
Fairness
of electoral workers – during the period
of election process monitoring there were reported more examples with electoral
workers whose fairness might be questioned;
·
Unjustified involvement of police authorities in
electoral campaign – given the large
number of such cases reported by the LTOs during their activity of election
process monitoring, we express our worry that during the election day some new
incidents incited by police workers might arise;
·
Use
of financial and material means for campaign purpose
– the insignificant level of transparency in using financial resources in the
electoral campaign makes us question the fairness of financing the electoral
contestants;
·
Warrantee the secrecy of vote and transparency of the
process of poll counting and tabulation of results.
Recommendations
On the bases of the above-mentioned findings and
concerns, the implementation working group of the “Election Monitoring Project”
recommends the following:
Ø
To
act immediately and appropriately in cases of corruption and intimidation of
electors, as well as in cases when electoral workers violate the election law;
Ø
To
solve the electoral disputes in reasonable terms and in strict conformity with
the legislation in force;
Ø
To
allow the presence of police workers at the polling places only upon the
request of the chiefs of the polling places;
Ø
To
register the results of poll counting in large reports distributed to all
polling places;
Ø
To
declare the financial and material means used by electoral contestants,
according Article 38 Para. (1) Lett. a) of the Election Code.