alegeri.md

Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) appealed to CEC and demanded BMD to reimburse from its electoral fund the expenses incurred while its leader Serafim Urechean, incumbent Mayor of the Chisinau Municipality, used the office car during his meetings with the voters.

BMD leader Serafim Urechean addressed an open letter to the President and Chair of the Parliament calling them to “recall from CEC persons who violate electoral law”, asking “to withdraw Mr. Vizant and Mr. Cucu and replace them with two other persons recommended by the opposition factions in Parliament. This is the only solution to restore at least some credibility of the incumbent governing in guaranteeing free and fair elections”. BMD has accused CEC of violating the judgement of the Court of Appeal on changing the membership of the Chisinau Electoral Council and has demanded the Deputy Chair and Secretary to be excluded from CEC on the grounds of bias towards PCRM. Meanwhile, Supreme Court of Justice left the CEC resolution contested in the Court of Appeal in force.

CEC passed a resolution regulating the conduct of an exit-poll on March 6, 2005. The research would cover around 10% of the polling stations and would involve about 800 operators. It is expected that its results would be released immediately after the closure of the polling stations.

On Friday, January 28, 2005 CEC registered two new electoral contestants: independent candidate Alexandru Busmachiu; the Labour Union “Patria-Rodina” (LUPR). The representative of Patria-Rodina Bloc (PRB) expressed his concern with regard to CEC’s decision to register LUPR, on the grounds it was not on the list of parties entitled to run in elections that was released by CEC. He also argued that Labour Union changed its name after election campaign started in order to steal from the PRB electorate by misleading the voters. Finally he pointed that even the electoral symbol of the UMPR practically coincides with that of PRB.

CEC passed an instruction on the voting particularities on March 6, 2005. The instruction specifies the documents based on which citizens are allowed to vote: ID; soviet type passport having the stamp “citizen of the RM”; F-9 provisional ID that includes personal data of the holder and has the stamp “citizen of the RM” (issued to the citizen in case he/she lost ID); foreign passport (specifying “left for permanent residence” on page 6); military card and other documents confirming a person’s identity.

Social Democratic Party of Moldova (PSDM) issued a press release reading that Aracadie Covaliov, candidate on its party list, Member of the National Council, and Executive Secretary of the PSDM branch in Balti was arrested by police.

PSDM claims that Covaliov, who is a doctor and also heads the National Association for Family Health “Castitas” was arrested as he repeatedly criticised the negative developments in healthcare and reported on the corruption in healthcare system. PSDM notified CEC and reserved the right to inform international organisations on that case.

PCRM issued a press release drawing the attention of the national and international observers on “serious violations of the democratic norms” which “undermine free and fair elections”.

PCRM reported that “Saptamina”, “Jurnal de Chisinau”, “Timpul de dimineata”, “Ziarul de garda”, “Новое время” newspapers publish electoral advertising for BMD and PSDM without mentioning “paid from electoral fund”; thereby they violated CEC Regulation providing that electoral ads may only be published under the “Electorala 2005” column.