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The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has turned down with 6 out of 9 votes the PDM and PLDM initiatives seeking the revision of the regulation on broadcasting coverage of the electoral campaign. The initiatives by the two parties sought the permission to organize debates after the registration of several candidates, not after the registration deadline. Some CEC members backed the initiatives, saying that it is unfair for all to begin elections in the second half of the electoral campaign, while the Party of Communists to be able to make propaganda on television every day via chief of state, prime minister and other officials included on the PCRM candidates list. Other CEC members argued that the Election Code stipulates equal conditions for contestants, so that starting debates after the registration of all contestants is normal. (according to INGOTAG)

CEC has registered the Conservative Party as electoral candidate.

CEC has set the Protocol Office for Observers for parliamentary elections. It will be in charge with organizing meetings of observers, their visits to territory. As well, its members will collect information about elections from international observers. (according to MOLDPRES)

PCRM has contested in front of CEC as follows:

1. “The printing of the supplement Obiectiv of newspaper Jurnal de Chisinau from foreign funds.” A PCRM representative to CEC said: “I have asked the CEC to check this information and not to allow foreign funds in the electoral campaign, as they are prohibited by legislation.” He noted that the supplement concerned has a circulation of about 70,000 copies and it is published by the Independent Press Association under the aegis of “Coalitia 2009”.
2. Violations committed by AMN by using administrative resources for electoral purposes, saying that the PCRM holds evidence that AMN members drive service cars during the campaign.
3. The use of the electoral symbol with the name of “Tarlev” by UCM, as this action could make unfair conditions to other electoral candidates, since the name of the former prime minister was widely mediated in approximately seven years of office. PCRM demanded CEC to annul this symbol.
4. The registration of the 12-star symbol of the Liberal Party. PCRM claims that the PL symbol is illegal because the stars could be mixed up with stars from the EU flag. (According to MOLDPRES).

PLDM has held a press conference to warn the public opinion “in connection with actions taken by the communist regime to falsify the electoral campaign”. According PLDM the communist governing via police and security institutions halts electoral opponents to hold their electoral campaign, blocking their actions. A police team of the Riscani district of Chisinau has intervened when employees of an advertising agency were installing the poster of PLDM and held the documents of the driver, held the vehicle carrying leaflets of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova, obstructing the installation of a poster this way. The police said that the poster’s contents were not coordinated with the Architecture and Urbanism Directorate of the City Hall. Police officers told the PLDM chairman, Vlad Filat, member of the Moldovan Parliament, that an advertising displaying contract is necessary to install the poster. Once the contract was presented, policemen invoked the impossibility to post advertising on night, though works were operated at around 16:00 p.m.

The Centrist Union of Moldova (UCM) has introduced its team and electoral platform for parliamentary elections. The key goal of UCM is to ensure the stability of society, economic and social progress, and good life to every citizen and confidence in tomorrow. The UCM leader, former premier Vasile Tarlev stated that the “UCM attends the elections to win, to get the authority and then the possibility to efficiently influence the further development of the Republic of Moldova… We have a united, strong team of state-supporting patriots capable to act operatively.” UCM promises to raise the medium wage on economy up to the level of Eastern Europe, up to 700 Euros and the pension up to 300 Euros. At external level, the party has plans to develop friendship with Russia, participate actively in projects within CIS, build “a belt of friend states” around Moldova and do its best for the “real and pragmatic integration of the Republic of Moldova in the European Union.”

AMN was indignant that communist ministers and legislators who stand for parliamentary elections claim to live from their salaries only, while the chief of state owns shares worth millions in a bank and some communist lawmakers are richer than businessmen. These are only some conclusions after a revision of income declarations submitted by electoral candidates to CEC. On the other hand, AMN continued to communicate with youths. About 200 persons attended a public action called “Youths choose the sun” in Orhei. The action included a flash-mob aimed to raise awareness of the public over youths’ problems. Participants shouted “We want jobs”, “Decent salaries”, and “We want to work at home”.

The Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) has released a communication accusing the PCRM of using the church for own electoral interests. According to the press release, a group of priests complained that they have been imposed to make electoral propaganda for the communists. This happened at a meeting between President Vladimir Voronin and more than 200 priests in the Balti municipality. According to PDM first deputy chairman Oleg Serebrian, “the church involvement in political life in Moldova is a grave violation both of legal and moral norms, including those promoted by the church itself. We see that the PCRM uses on the last 100 meters all resources to self-ensure an honorable electoral score after eight years of disastrous governing.” He asked Metropolitan Vladimir to be equidistant in the electoral campaign.

As well, PDM signaled a violation of electoral legislation in the district of Ocnita, where communist authorities refuse to provide electoral lists to voters. According to PDM, some public servants of the Ocnita mayoralty hold evidence that voters’ rolls include name of people who died more than seven years ago and there are other cases of such kind in the republic. (according to “Jurnal de Chisinau”)

MAE has sued the Central Electoral Commission in the legal department of the Court of Appeal, contesting this way the February 12, 2009 CEC decision “on securing the voting process at the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections,” which says that electoral offices of polling stations will apply the special stamp “ELECTIONS 05.04.09” on the voters’ identity papers. As well, MAE opened the “Political and electoral file” which describes breaches of the electoral legislation by the ruling party and abuses against MAE.