As many as 26,000 ballots, which were to reach three polling stations in the Russian Federation, were destroyed after the Moldovan authorities decided to establish two polling stations in Russia, instead of the initially announced five stations, IPN reports.

The Central Election Commission said that the 26,000 ballots were to be sent to polling stations No. 38/196, 38/197, and 38/198, by 13,000 ballots for each electoral exercise.

“This happened as a result of the electoral authority’s decision ascertaining the impossibility of ensuring the voting process by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the mentioned polling stations,” noted the Commission.

The price of a ballot is 0.63 lei. Thus, the state spent over 16,000 lei on printing the 26,000 ballots.