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Election News from March 5, 2009

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Ballot paper will include 23 electoral contestants

The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) got three more applications on Thursday, March 5, one day before the deadline for application as electoral candidates for the April 5 parliamentary elections. Independents Valentina Cusnir, Veaceslav Rosca and Alexandru Lomachin have applied for registration as electoral contestants. March 5 is the deadline to submit applications and necessary documents to CEC.

Chairwoman of the Gagauz People’s Assembly calls against party interests

The chairwoman of the Gagauz People’s Assembly (APG), Anna Harlamenco, has invited the Bashkan (governor), lawmakers, members of the executive committee, district heads, mayors and councillors “to stop litigations and start a constructive work at all levels for the welfare of the autonomy.” According to a communication by APG, Mrs. Harlamenco is indignant with situation when “many politicians focus on personal ambitions and narrow party interests rather than on political, social-economic development and stable culture of Gagauzia, and not even on interests of the autonomy’s population.” (Source: Infotag)

PD concerned with condition of agriculture

The Democratic Party (PD) is concerned with the situation of farmers before spring agricultural works. Former minister of agriculture Valeriu Bulgari, nominated prime minister by PD should the latter win the elections or participate in an eventual ruling coalition, delivered a statement in this regard at a press conference on March 5. He said that farmers are short of money for spring works and this endangers their carrying out. According to Bulgari, this critical situation is related to losses suffered by cannery, wine, sugar exporters etc., following the appreciation of the Moldovan leu along with depreciation of currencies in main export countries for Moldova. Alexandru Muravschi, former deputy premier and former minister of economy, stated that the National Bank should take into account the exchange rates of other currencies when it sets the exchange rate of leu, hinting that a certain depreciation is required. (Source: Infotag)

Idea to sign anti-communist political agreement fails

Sergiu Banari, independent candidate to the April 5 parliamentary elections, is disappointed that Moldovan democratic forces participating in electoral campaign did not give green light to his initiative to build a pre-electoral coalition and sign a political agreement, which would assure voters that signatory contestants will not support the Party of Communists. Banari said that he has sent these initiatives a week ago to all parties, except for the Social Democratic Party, Christian Democratic People’s Party and Party of Communists. “Independent candidate Stefan Uratu, Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova, Democratic Party, Actiunea Europeana (European Action) Movement hesitated to answer, saying that they need time to think about. The Ecological Party and Moldova Noastra Alliance did not respond in general and the Liberal Party said no,” Banari added. Only the Conservative Party and Moldova Unita Party have agreed to sign these documents. (Source: Infotag)

PLDM calls upon OSCE to monitor elections at polling stations abroad as well

The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) calls upon OSCE/ODIHR to consider the possibility of monitoring the April 5 parliamentary elections at polling stations expected to open in the 33 embassies and consulates of Moldova abroad. According to the appeal to OSCE/ODIHR, PLDM notes than most heads of Moldovan embassies and consulates are nominated on political criteria in detriment of their professional skills. At the same time, it quotes cases of illegal involvement of diplomatic corps in electoral campaign signalled by the media and opposition. (Source: PLDM appeal)

MAE invites parties to sign Anti-Corruption Pact

The Actiunea Europeana (European Action) Movement (MAE) is inviting parties to sign a National Anti-Corruption Pact. MAE told a press conference on Thursday, March 5 that it does not invite the communists, the Christian democrats, the social democrats and the Centrist Union “which have lost any credibility.” March 10 is the deadline to sign this pact. By signing this agreement, the parties will pledge to adopt in the first six months after elections the laws needed to reduce the corruption in Moldova very much. The pact includes 15 commitments and the first one is to restructure anti-corruption institutions and set a single national anti-corruption directorate. MAE also wants to legally ensure a maximal transparency of estates of dignitaries and to investigate the privatisations carried out in the last 18 years.

19 TV and 6 radio channels will organise electoral debates

According to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), 19 TV stations and 6 radio channels will organise electoral debates. CEC highly appreciates that 66 broadcasters including 31 TV wave-transmission channels, 3 wire TV channels, 31 ether radio channels and a wire radio channel are covering the electoral campaign for the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections. Two TV channels with national coverage, one local channel and four radio channels have formally refused to cover the electoral campaign. CEC noted that altogether holders of licences which agreed to cover the electoral campaign this year cover all Moldova. (Source: CEC communication)

Guide to political parties on funding electoral campaign

The Central Electoral Commission together with Marcin Walecki, expert of the Council of Europe, Cornel Virgiliu Calinescu, long-term anti-corruption expert of MOLICO Project, Tatiana Cojocaru, legal adviser of MOLICO Project, and Staffan Darlnof, director IFES-Moldova, have developed a guide to political parties on funding electoral campaign for the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections. The purpose of the guide is to point out key aspects relating to funding of the electoral campaign for the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections. (Source: CEC communication)

PLDM signals lots of breaches and abuses by PCRM

The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) observes with concern that the Party of Communists and state institutions commit lots of violations and breaches during the ongoing electoral campaign. “Besides the massive use of administrative resources, the communists intimidate electoral contestants, blackmail and even assault electioneers, prohibit meetings with voters under various pretexts,” reads a communication by liberal democrats. PLDM brought a number of examples relating to intimidation of PLDM electioneers and police involvement in actions against liberal democrats. (Source: PLDM communication)

Coalition-2009 calls for responsibility and normality

The Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections Coalition-2009 is calling upon the Interior Ministry to ensure a positive climate for free and fair parliamentary elections. A letter in this respect was addressed to the Interior Ministry on Thursday, March 4. It seeks a climate of normality, so that citizens of Moldova to be able to cast a free and fair ballot, away of any pressures capable to influence their participation in voting or political option. (Source: Moldova Azi)

“Quite and civilised” electoral campaign under “Civic Control”

The “Civic Control — Elections 2009” Coalition says that the ongoing electoral campaign for the April 5 parliamentary elections may be appreciated for the calm and civilised evolution. “Unlike previous local elections, both in 2005 and 2007, the electoral campaign this year is quitter,” said Alexandr Barbov, executive director of the “Civic Control — Elections 2009” Coalition, presenting a second monitoring report on pre-electoral period. He noted that despite breaches and contrary to statements by political parties, which said that the electoral campaign this year is the dirtiest ever seen, representatives of some parties, journalists, experts and observers reiterated that the pre-electoral period is “quitter and more civilised” than the previous campaigns. (Source: Omega)

Minister of Justice is confident: forthcoming elections will be fairer than last polls

Minister of Justice Vitalie Pirlog is sure that the 2009 scrutiny will be fairer than last elections. He delivered a statement in this regard while meeting the delegation from the OSCE/ODIHR Mission for observation of the April 5 parliamentary elections. The minister noted that Moldova is a young democracy and it has to handle many challenges, inclusively to organise fair, free and democratic elections. During the meeting, the sides discussed actions to organise elections in prisons. It was noted that the right to vote was extended for the first time on inmates who committed not very grave crimes. (Source: Infotag)

PSD opens website to discuss anti-crisis actions

In order to attract people into direct talks on the anti-crisis action plan by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), inclusively those working abroad, PSD has opened the special website www.anticriza.md. On Wednesday, March 4, some PSD candidates presented at a press conference a series of actions aimed to reduce negative effects of the financial crisis on our country. (Source: PSD press release)

Parliamentary elections must be a clear message on continuity of democratic reforms

The parliamentary elections must be a clear message to society and European community regarding continuity of democratic reforms in our country. Speaker Marian Lupu delivered this statement at a March 5 meeting with members of the delegation representing the pre-electoral mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), who are on an informative visit to Chisinau. These elections, Lupu continued, will be a proof of political maturity of Moldovan society. “We are aware that the continuation of our dialogue with European institutions, the European Union first of all, will depend on elections, on their fairness,” the speaker added. (Source: press release by Parliament)

Government accuses authorities of AMN-led rayons

Teachers from 131 kindergartens and secondary schools from Moldova did not get their increased wages because local authorities did not calculate them accordingly to new grid. Deputy Minister of Education and Youth Galina Bulat revealed these findings at a governmental sitting on Wednesday. She noted that most serious problems are recorded in the rayon of Cahul, as 50 institutions there did not receive increased salaries, and in the rayon of Causeni, where 31 schools face the same problem. Heads of Cahul and Causeni rayons represent the Moldova Noastra Alliance. Authorities from these localities evoked different reasons, including the participation of rayon leaders in electoral campaign. Wages of budget paid employees rose by 21 percent on average on January 1. (Source: Omega)

Approximately 150 Calarasi residents left Vladimir Voronin

Approximately 150 residents of Calarasi have left the cultural building in the city of Calarasi during an electoral meeting with Vladimir Voronin, leader of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova. A little bewildered by this action, Voronin said that “they are people of Urecheanu”. The meeting was held on March 4 afternoons and it brought together around 500 people from Calarasi and villages from this rayon. (Source: Deca-Press)

President Vladimir Voronin clamoured down by Vorniceni residents

While on an electoral visit to Straseni, President Voronin was clamoured down and whistled by approximately 400 residents from Vorniceni, whose mayor went missing last Friday. Being in the know with president’s visit, supporters of Mayor Gheorghe Ionel have asked beforehand the Straseni mayoralty to authorise a meeting in front of the cultural facility, and carried banners, some put on yellow handkerchiefs and jackets with the symbol of Moldova Noastra Alliance on Wednesday, March 4. When Vladimir Voronin got off the police-escorted car, the about 400 protestors shouted anti-communist slogans “Down with Communists!”, “We do not want a Bolshevik president any longer!” Voronin smiled and hurried up to the building, followed by state body guard and the former deputy police chief of Chisinau, Petru Corduneanu, and met his supporters there. (Source: Jurnal de Chisinau)