The early local mayoral elections in the municipalities of Chisinau and Balti are not in the interests of the ruling party. The postponement of these elections affect Moldova’s image at foreign level, Vladislav Kulminski, executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives, said in the program “Emphasis on today” on TVR Moldova channel,  IPN reports.

Vladislav Kulminski said the invoking by the Central Election Commission of the financial factor is not valid. Furthermore, the postponement of these elections seriously affects Moldova’s image abroad, which is no longer positive. “I think this could be the last straw as we are already close to a hybrid war,” said Vladislav Kulminski. According to him, the Government should be very attentive as it is in no one’s interests for Moldova to be treated as an autocratic state.

The executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives said that from legal viewpoint he does not see how the early elections in the municipality can be held, but admits that everything can happen in Moldova.

Deputy chairman of the Liberal Party Valeriu Munteanu stated that the Election Code and the law on the local public administration clearly provide that early local elections are held two times a year, in spring and in autumn, but not later than a year before the next ordinary elections. “But the Democratic Party and the Party of Socialists do not want these elections and will thus try to dribble. These days cause jitters to everyone,” said the politician.

He also said he does not understand why the Central Election Commission delays taking a decision on the issue. “From our viewpoint, they should have announced mayoral elections in Chisinau and Balti for May 20 and would have done the calculations later,” noted Valeriu Munteanu.

On February 28, the Central Election Commission said it was examining the applications submitted by the secretaries of the municipal councils concerning the resignations of the mayors of Chisinau and Balti and was estimating the costs associated with the organization of the early local elections in the two cities, which weren’t planned in the state budget, and will then take a decision in a public meeting.