Ala Mandacanu, who heads the community of Moldovans in Quebec and was a member of the electoral bureau No. 1/314 of Montreal, Canada, said 247 persons filed complaints in the province because they were unable to vote. Among these are members of the electoral bureau. According to Ala Mandacanu, the time is now opportune for making approaches to the Central Election Commission and political parties and submitting legislation amendment proposals so that the Election Code is modified and allows varying the number of ballots intended for polling places established abroad. Also, the members of electoral bureaus must be authorized to ask to increase or reduce the number of allotted ballots.

“The elections were lost not only by Maia Sandu, but also by those who want democracy, changes and liberty and not because these are fewer in number, but because the elections were rigged by a base, corrupt and sold system. The diaspora showed unprecedented mobilization, courage, involvement and solidarity. If someone marginalized the voters from outside the country’s borders until now, from now on they will not do this,” Ala Mandacanu says in her message for IPN.

The leader of the Moldovan community in Quebec said that together with her colleagues, she will make effort to prove that the elections were rigged. “A new mobilization campaign entitled “Save a vote” or “Case of shame” can be now initiated to collect detailed information to prove the electoral fraud – names, data, photos of abuses brought together can make a difference. A round was lost, but the struggle hasn’t been yet lost. The diaspora will return in force,” wrote Ala Mandacanu.

At the start of November, the diaspora in Canada submitted an application to the CEC, asking to allow transmitting, if necessary, ballots from one polling place to another or Xeroxing ballots (with the signature of the electoral bureau head and the required stamp on each ballot) so as to enable all the Moldovans who settled abroad to exercise their right to vote in the presidential runoff of Moldova.

Contacted by IPN, CEC communicator Rodica Sarbu said the complaints filed to the Commission are now being analyzed and their exact number is not yet known.