alegeri.md

Independent candidate Mihail Formuzal has issues a statement accusing the head of state of discrimination on religious basis. Formuzal has referred to the opinions expressed by the head of state during his meeting with the leadership of the Party of Communists in ATU Gagauzia (21.10.2006), where he would appeal to the audience to do not vote for Formuzal as the latter belongs to Baptist Church. Mihail Formuzal considers this appeal as a new “accusation” concerning his belonging to a different confession than the main Orthodox one and as a tentative to intimidate voters of Orthodox belief (www.tv7.md).

Ceadir-Lunga Court has postponed examining the trial against Mihail Formuzal, the mayor of Ceadir-Lunga town, till the end of the election campaign for the Governor post of Gagauzia. The court’s decision comes after several parties and President of the Republic of Moldova have expressed few days ago the necessity to suspend the trials against electoral contestants competing for the Governor post of Gagauzia. In the same time, Cahul Court will continue to examine the penal case against M. Formuzal that falls within its mandate (Infotag).

Central Electoral Commission of Gagauzia has refused to register the candidature of Valerii Ianioglo, proposed by the “Patria-Rodina” Bloc for the Governor post of Gagauzia, on the ground that after removing out of all false subscription signatures the number of the rest genuine signatures is less than the required minimum (81 signatures are missing from the 5000 required minimum). The Commission’s decision has been appealed to the court, the representatives of “Patria-Rodina” Bloc declaring that the rejection of the Ianioglo’s candidature is an abuse and the real reason of the refusal is the victory of this bloc at 2005 parliamentary elections. The bloc intends to undertake an independent expertise of the signatures considered false by Gagauz CEC (BASA-press).

On 24 October 2006, Central Electoral Commission of Moldova (CEC) has approved a regulation on the statute of international observers at elections in the Republic of Moldova and on the procedure of their accreditation. According to the art. 63 of Electoral Code, CEC is in charge of accreditation of international observers, which will be able to monitor the election process at the national, regional and local level, including the upcoming elections of the Governor of Gagauzia.

In the same time, CEC has sent an invitation to the Congress of local and regional authorities of the CoE in order to participate to the monitoring of the electoral process for the Governor post of Gagauz ATU. The initiative to participate to the monitoring of elections in Gagauzia has been addressed by the Congress during the official visit of speaker Marian Lupu to the CoE, within October 1–4, 2006 period. According to the legislation, the Congress is to ask CEC through an official letter to examine the accreditation of its representatives as foreign observers.