IIMDD IPA CIS Expert Group Started Short-Term Monitoring of General Local Elections in Moldova

IIMDD IPA CIS expert group comprised of the five members from its Directorate and the Chisinau Office and accredited by the Central Elections Commission of the Republic of Moldova as international observers set about the short-term monitoring of general local elections.

The observers started out with the visit of the CEC of the Republic of Moldova, where they held a meeting with the Deputy Chairman Vladimir Sarban, who stressed the importance of the current campaign, as 898 primars (governors), 1108 regional and 11 580 municipal counselors (members of the council) were to be elected. He also informed the participants on the activities related to the preparation of the elections.

Later the members of the expert group met with Chairman of the People’s Will party Ștefan Urâtu and candidate running for Primar of Chisinau on behalf of the party Teodor Cârnaţ. Ștefan Urâtu and Teodor Cârnaţ described the peculiarities of the political and electoral system of the Republic of Moldova emerged during the electoral campaign and related to the financing of political parties and creation of electoral register.

The observers also met with the candidate running for Primar of Chisinau of behalf of the Democratic Party of Moldova Vladimir Cebotari.

In the afternoon the expert group met with the candidate running for Primar of Chisinau on behalf of the Moldovan Socialist Party Ion Ceban, who informed them on the peculiarities of his campaigning in the suburban districts of Chisinau.

In the evening the observers met with the candidate on behalf of the Ecologist Green Party Vitalie Marinuța, who presented the main points of his election program, noted the professional work of the CEC of the Republic of Moldova and shared his opinion on the candidates’ access to the mass media during the debates.