Only 0.89% of polling stations in Moldova are accessible to people with special needs, 27% are partially accessible and about 72% are inaccessible, according to a survey by Infonet Alliance.

Victor Koroli, executive director of the Infonet Alliance, said that accessibility in polling stations was assessed according to several criteria: access to the building, entrance to the building, entrance doors and interior doors, corridors, the space where the voting process takes place, bathrooms and parking lots.

“Lack of accessibility is the number one barrier to the social inclusion of people with disabilities in Moldova. Accessibility of infrastructure is not only a basic principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, but also a precondition for the enjoyment of other fundamental rights”, said Victor Koroli.

The mobile ballot box, as an alternative instrument for voting at home, partially covers this gap and is a temporary solution. The approach of civil society organizations and self-representation groups that promote the concept of voting in polling stations draws the attention of the authorities not only to the political rights of people with special needs, but also to other fundamental rights that are realized in social buildings: the rights to education, information, medicine, culture, employment, etc.

“The lack of accessibility conditions in public buildings is a discriminatory factor for people with special needs. The issue of accessibility of public buildings is a national issue. There is no complex vision, solutions and resources, especially in rural areas. For this reason, it is necessary to develop a national accessibility plan that lays out each stage, from design to commissioning”, said Victor Koroli.

He added that the refugee crisis in Ukraine has raised the issue of accessibility of infrastructure from a different perspective: there is a lack of social crisis intervention policies for people with disabilities, insufficient transport for wheelchair users, and the number of accessible buildings that can accommodate people with disabilities is limited.

The National Program for Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities for the years 2017-2022 also aims to make accessible at least 12% of public buildings by its completion, so 2% of buildings must be made accessible annually.