Judge Natalia Costaș of the Bălți District Court has decided to refer the case of Marina Tauber to the Bălți Court of Appeals. The referral is made under an emergency procedure.

Prior to this, lawyers for Tauber sought to have the case referred to another court of the same level, claiming that Nicolai Grigorișin, a local politician and Tauber’s contestant in the Bălți mayoral runoff this coming Sunday, could exert undue influence over the court.

Earlier today, a crowd of supporters gathered outside the Bălți District Court to protest the Central Electoral Commission’s request to remove the Shor Party candidate from the race over alleged campaign finance violations. According to the CEC, Tauber failed to declare campaign expenses of at least $1,937, thus violating the legal upper limit by $538 or more.