alegeri.md

While on a formal visit to Chisinau, the president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Joao Soares has attended a conference which focussed on the April 5 parliamentary elections inclusively. He raised concern with harassment against opposition leaders and said that the OSCE will monitor both the electoral campaign and the voting process. It will focus on fairness of elections — equal access of all political parties to the media. During the visit to Chisinau Joao Soares had meetings with Parliament chairman, leaders of political parties and civic organisations participating in election monitoring.

The special EU representative to Moldova, Mr. Kalman Mizsei has met Moldovan Speaker Marian Lupu to discuss aspects of the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections. Marian Lupu stressed the interest of Moldovan authorities for a democratic, free and fair electoral process, in accordance with international regulations. For this purpose, all conditions will be ensured for the election monitoring by a high number of local and international observers. Marian Lupu noted that the European option of Moldova will keep being a priority in interior and foreign policy regardless of elections’ results. (According to MOLDPRES)

CEC has decided to apply a special stamp “April 5, 2009 Elections” on attachment to the identity card or other identity papers allowing people to cast their ballots. This decision was consulted with leaders of parties registered as electoral contestants, which gave green light to the CEC initiative as a supplementary action to prevent the multiple voting. This action was needed because the electronic register of electors was not implemented for certain reasons.

CEC has ordered the same rights and obligations for private radio and television channels willing to organise electoral debates and the public broadcaster TeleRadio-Moldova; they will organise electoral debates for free.

CEC has opened district electoral councils in all 36 electoral constituencies.

CEC has registered the 10th electoral contestant, which is the Party of Spiritual Development “Moldova Unita” (United Moldova).

CEC has applied to the Centre Office of the Execution Department of the Ministry of Justice to urgently consider the possibility to unblock the bank accounts of the Chisinau City Hall. This way, CEC raised concern that the City Hall could not be capable to prepare the elections in the Chisinau municipality. This problem emerged in connection with the failure to pay off a debt to the heating operator TERMOCOM, so that more than 20 accounts of the City Hall have been blocked and the municipality cannot perform financial operations. (According to INFOTAG)

According to the governmental press service, 13 cabinet members are going to participate in the parliamentary elections on the electoral list of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM). The following governmental officials have submitted requests for temporary dismissal: the first deputy prime minister, Minister of Economy and Trade Igor Dodon, the deputy prime minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan, Minister of Health Larisa Savga, Minister of Social Protection, Family and Child Galina Balmos, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Anatol Gorodenco, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Violeta Ivanova, Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova, the director of the Licensing Chamber, Zinaida Chistruga, and the director of Moldsilva Agency, Anatolie Popusoi. Deputy Premier Victor Stepaniuc, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Iurie Munteanu, and Deputy Minister of Construction and Area Development Vasile Ursu are expected to do the same. (according to INFOTAG)

The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) said that the Chisinau City Hall has given green light to protests set for February 22 aimed to support the electoral right of Moldovan nationals abroad who seek the opening of additional polling stations in countries compactly resided by Moldovans. The protests will take place in the Great National Assembly Square. As well, a protest march is set in the Chisinau downtown. PLDM has called “upon all truthful people who care about the future of our country to take part in protests in order to make the communist governance respect the electoral right of our fellow countrymen from other countries and ensure all necessary conditions for this purpose.” (according to INFOTAG)

The Popular Republican Party (PPR) has released a statement saying that it will support the Centrist Union of Moldova (UCM) at the parliamentary elections. PPR leader Nicolae Andronic motivated this decision both the electors’ appeals to strengthen democratic forces and the affinities between political programmes of the two parties. “We are confident that this decision is right and promising, given the political situation in Moldova. The country needs healthy political forces, politicians who proved throughout years that the interest of people and state is their only priority,” Andronic stated.

UCM leader Vasile Tarlev, chairman of the Moldovan Association of Producers, has signed a cooperation agreement with the chairman of a similar Russian association, former USSR premier and acting Russian senator Nicolay Rizhkov. The goal of the agreement is to develop an advantageous partnership. (According to www.ava.md)

Leaders of three political parties have raised negative attitudes toward participation of the former premier Vasile Tarlev in the electoral campaign as leader of the Centrist Union of Moldova (UCM). PSD secretary-general Eduard Musuc stated that the electoral slogan of Vasile Tarlev “Buy products made in Moldova” is cynical. He should promote another slogan in 7 years, notably “Make Moldovan products… Activity of Mr. Tarlev and his representatives do not deserve great attention,” Musuc said in connection with recent statements by Vasile Tarlev that his UCM is inconvenient to all parties in Moldova. “Vasile Tarlev is not independent and he cannot make any change both in political class and in social-economic life of Moldova.” On the other hand, PL chairman Mihai Ghimpu stated that “the Centrist Union made a wrong choice of leader.” “UCM chose Tarlev to help it, to be an engine. But it made a wrong choice! Tarlev cannot be an engine, but just the last coach… I regard Tarlev as a man who had promoted the restriction of rights to a free economy, an independent justice and a free media… Tarlev has proved his incapacity and he does not have anything to do in the Government and politics.” In his turn, PLDM deputy chairman Alexandru Tanase has stated: “UCM does not exist as political party; it is a group of people who want to succeed to the governing… Tarlev is a danger not even for minuscule parties like Patria-Rodina… Electors supporting the left-wing have enough options to choose and they will not elect individuals such as Tarlev. He will not succeed to the Parliament… Tarlev will seed some confusion at forthcoming elections and will make a discomfort by showing up to public… People forgot Tarlev and they should never remind about.” (according to OMEGA)

Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov has promised that residents of the breakaway region will not be obstructed to participate in Moldovan elections, but they will not do so. He noted that Moldovan electoral authorities did not officially request the Transnistrian administration to allow the participation of Transnistrians in elections. Smirnov stressed that the Russian CEC has officially asked an authorisation to open polling stations for the Russian parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007 and 2008. He added that 125,000 Transnistrian residents hold Russian passports and other thousands have applied for the Russian citizenship.