University professor Dorin Cimil is the new chairperson of the Central Electoral Commission. He was elected by seven votes out of nine members of the Commission, with one vote against and one abstention. Dumitru Cimil was the sole candidate proposed for the position, IPN reports. 

Cimil told reporters after the meeting that he wants to make the whole electoral process function properly, and be correct in everything he says and does, especially in light of the massive amount of work to be done by the entire CEC team ahead of the October local elections. He also said that he has no political affiliation and that he is assuming enormous responsibility by taking over as CEC chair to bring the electoral body’s current mandate to successful completion. 

Also today, CEC elected Vladimir Șerban as deputy chairperson and Maxim Lebedinschi as secretary. 

Vladimir Serban, told reporters that the election of the CEC leadership was preceded by serious discussions, including informal meetings, about “who wants to assume certain responsibilities during this period.”

The new CEC secretary Maxim Lebedinschi said that all three incoming CEC members declared solemnly that they were not party members. “According to the law, we are politically non-affiliated for the entire period of our mandate and in accordance with our oath, we are even required to abstain from making any political comments,” said Maxim Lebedinschi.

Earlier this week, Parliament has confirmed three new CEC members: lawyer Dumitru Pavel, university professor Dorin Cimil and the former presidential aide Maxim Lebedinschi. The three seats fell vacant after the resignation of the members Rodica Ciubotaru and Iurie Ciocan and chairwoman Alina Russu. 

Moldova’s electoral body is composed of nine members, with one appointed by the President, and eight by Parliament in a way that represents proportionally both the ruling majority and the opposition.