The Constitutional Court on September 13 confirmed the results of the presidential elections. Thus, the mandate of President-elect Igor Dodon has been validated, IPN reports.

In connection with the challenge filed to the Constitutional Court by the team of the electoral competitor Maia Sandu, by which this asked to annul the results of the presidential runoff because the diaspora’s right to vote was violated, the Court’s president Alexandru Tanase said the elections can be annulled if the voting and result tabulation took place amid fraud, but not any kind of fraud, but one that can influence the election outcome. The Constitutional Court does not possess the instruments needed to administer evidence or question witnesses and all the challenges were to be dealt with by the common law courts.

The electoral bodies and common law courts were to examine the applications, not to deny responsibility, said Alexandru Tanase. Therefore, the Constitutional Court considers it necessary to request Parliament to make clearer the legislation as regards the examination of electoral challenges.

Alexandru Tanase noted that given the difference of over 67,000 votes between the two candidates who competed in the runoff - Igor Dodon and Maia Sandu – if taking into account the over 4,000 challenges submitted by Moldovans from the diaspora, who complained that they were unable to vote, the election results cannot be affected. However, as many Moldovans abroad could not vote, the Court considers a request should be made to Parliament to regulate voting abroad, including by providing the polling places with reserve ballots.

Overall, the Court will submit six notes to Parliament concerning the shortcomings existing in the legislation.