All the citizens are equal before the law and the state must ensure everyone’s right to vote, said the representative of Promo-LEX Association Nicolae Panfil. According to him, the Association is for the implementation of postal voting for all the citizens, not only for voters in Canada and the United States. Promo-Lex supports any amendment that extends the list of states where this alternative voting method will be implemented, IPN reports.

Under draft law that was given a first reading, postal voting will be piloted in this year’s presidential election for Moldovan citizens who settled in Canada and the U.S. For the second reading, through an amendment signed by PAS MPs, it is proposed extending the list of states where this voting method will be implemented. Thus, postal voting could be implemented in the U.S., Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland.

“The position of Promo-Lex Association was to ensure a universal vote. Suffrage must be universal. All the citizens are equal before the law. All the citizens must enjoy the same rights. We also stated this in public consultations. We understand that this is a test, a gradual implementation of this law. So, we will welcome any amendment that will expand this list of states, because our citizens are all over the world. There are citizens who are far away from polling stations in other states too. Promo-Lex Association supports the introduction of postal voting because we believe that every citizen, wherever they are, should have the opportunity to vote. We want this test to succeed and to see postal voting implemented for everyone,” Nicolae Panfil, Promo-LEX programs director, stated in the talk show “Parallel 47” on Radio Moldova.

He noted he realizes that the implementation of this voting method implies costs, but the Moldovan citizens from the diaspora contribute to the economic development of the country and deserve to decide its future.

“This doesn’t mean that postal voting doesn’t involve costs, but we have an obligation, as a state, towards our citizens - to ensure their right to vote wherever they are. Our citizens contribute substantially to the economic, social development of the country. And when we don’t have the possibility to open polling stations, we must provide them with alternative voting methods. We would like this method to be available to everyone. It will certainly be a financial challenge, but this doesn’t mean that we should not promote this topic. As it is a pilot project, we can also anticipate particular difficulties in implementation,’ said the expert of Promo-Lex.

According to the information note of the draft law on the implementation of postal voting, globally, 53 countries allow this alternative voting method, of which 13 states are members of the European Union. A 2022 European Parliament resolution also calls on Member States to introduce the possibility of postal voting in European elections so as to also increase voter participation.