The Committee for Open Democracy (COD) observed the Republic of Moldova’s Parliamentary Elections of Sunday, November 30, 2014. The elections generally met international standards and with only technical errors that do not affect the election outcome. COD deployed over 40 observers nationwide in Moldova on Election Day.
COD recommends the following to improve elections in Moldova:
– The Central Election Commission should simplify the election observation accreditation application process for international observers. With two distinct steps in the procedure, it is cumbersome and could have the effect of inhibiting greater international participation in election observation. The CEC should accredit international election observers in one comprehensive application.
– The CEC’s “SAISE” computer system had systemic problems which created long voter lines as polling station employees resorted to manual registration. Electronic voter participation programs should be thoroughly tested before deployment to avoid infrastructure problems on Election Day which can decrease voter confidence in the electoral process.
– The role of foreign media and campaign finance is also of concern to the COD. Though Moldova has tough laws on political advertising, media originating outside of Moldova played a profound role in influencing the elections. There is ambiguity on political party financing in Moldova and concerns were raised of foreign funding and illegal funding of political parties. COD recommends greater transparency in campaign financing.
The Coalition for Open Democracy also observed elections in Moldova in 2010; this is the fifteenth election observed by the COD in the past four years in seven countries. The COD’s 2014 Moldovan election observation was Chaired by two-time Ukrainian Member of Parliament Voldomyr Kurennoy.
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