alegeri.md

The president of the Gagauz Central Electoral Commission, Victor Caloshin, has announced on December 18, 2006 the results of the second round of elections for the Governor (Bashkan) post of Gagauzia, held on December 17, 2006. According to him, the results of elections are, as follows:

• Mihail Formuzal — 56.23%;
• Nicolai Dudoglo — 43.76%.

Mihail Formuzal will be thus the new Governor of Gagauzia (Moldpres).

OSCE Mission to Moldova concluded on December 18, 2006 that the second round of elections for the Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia was held in a generally calm and orderly manner. The head of OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador O’Neill, noted that overall for the second round of elections of the Governor of Gagauzia better administrative and campaigning conditions were ensured. He remarked also that both candidates enjoyed equal access to the media and had the opportunity to take part in televised debates on Teleradio Gagauzia.

At the same time, Ambassador O’Neill observed some deficiencies: voters’ identification documents were not always properly checked; some voters requesting to vote at home using the mobile box were not served; in some cases electoral observers from non-governmental organizations had difficulties accessing the precincts; contradictory and ambiguous provisions in the Gagauz Law on Bashkan elections that must be tackled in anticipation of future elections. O’Neill regretted as well as “that the preliminary results of the first round were not announced periodically. This, along with the very late display of the voter lists, could potentially have undermined public confidence in the election process”. (http://www.osce.org/item/22745.html)

On December 18, 2006, LADOM-API-ADEPT consortium has announced the findings of observing the second round of elections for the Governor (Bashkan) post of Gagauzia. In the national observers’ opinion, the electoral process was held, generally, in accordance with principles for free and fair elections. At the polling stations in ATU Gagauz Yeri a calm atmosphere has generally prevailed, voters being not impeded to exercise their right for a universal, equal, direct, secret and free expressed vote. At the same time, the observers have noticed some irregularities, which, however, did not influence the final results of the second round of elections.

According to the parallel vote counting, undertaken by the League for Defence of Human Rights (LADOM), the results of the second round of elections for the Governor (Bashkan) post of Gagauzia, held on December 17, 2006, are almost identical with the official results:

• Mihail Formuzal — 56.23%;
• Nicolai Dudoglo — 43.77%.

According to LADOM, the turn-out in elections on December 17 was 62.8%, on the supplementary voting rolls being registered 5.96% of Gagauz voters.