9 of 18 Chisinau suburban settlements elected mayors in round one

Nine out of eighteen settlements included in the Chisinau Municipality elected their mayors as a result of the first round voting. Because 3 days after the elections neither the Central Election Commission nor the Chisinau District Election Council has been able to display any results on the elections held in the suburbs, the information shown below is the result of an investigation by Info-Prim Neo. Of those 9 mayors elected on June 3, three are unaffiliated, three are the members of the Party of Communists, one represents the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) Party, one represents the Social-Liberal Party, and one is Christian-democrat. After the first round, seven persons managed to keep their mayorship, including the independent candidates Valentin Gutan (Cricova town) and Ghenadie Iurco (Sangera). In the 2003 elections, Gutan and Iurco entered the mayoralty on the lists of the Moldova Noastra Social-Liberal Alliance (ASLMN). Another second term-in-office was won by the incumbent mayor of the town of Vadul lui Voda, Iurie Onofreiciuc, who remained loyal to the Party of Communists (PCRM). Nina Costiuc, this time a candidate on behalf of PCRM, also managed to keep her office, which she had won as an ASLMN candidate 4 years ago. Condrita commune also kept its mayor, Vasile Zagoreanu of AMN, for a second term in office. The voters maintained their confidence in Mayor Nicon Scurtu of PSL (Cruzesti) and the Christian-democrat Sergiu Cibotaru (com. Tohatin), who didn’t join other parties than the ones that promoted them in the 2003 elections. The first round voting gave new mayors to Ghidighici – the independent candidate Ion Beglet, and Ciorescu – PCRM representative Constantin Scripnic. [Mayoral races will continue in 9 localities] The second round will be held on June 17 in other 9 suburban settlements. Of those18 candidates running for mayor, 8 are unaffiliated, 3 – are communists, 2 on behalf of AMN, and one from each of the following: PSL, PDS, PNL and PPCD. In com. Gratiesti the candidates fighting for the mayor’s seat will be the outgoing mayor Valentina Patras (former ASLMN candidate, currently unaffiliated), and the representative of the Social Democracy Party, Elena Cazacu. In com. Colonita the ballot papers will include the following names: Maria Iarmenco (outgoing mayor and former ASLMN candidate), and unaffiliated Gheorghe Calancea. In com. Stauceni the outgoing mayor Ion Dragomir (former ASLMN candidate, currently unaffiliated) will face the communist Valentin Satnic. The representative of the National Liberal Party Nicolae Crudu and Ion Arseni of AMN will run in Durlesti town. The favourites left in the race in Vatra town are Ion Bobeico of PSL and unaffiliated Maria Feraru. The battle for mayor of Bacioi will be between the outgoing communist mayor Ion Bivol and Ion Bors of AMN. In Codru town, there will compete Vladimir Munteanu and Vitalie Mazur, both independent candidates. In com. Truseni the race is continued by the outgoing unaffiliated mayor Mihail Secrieru and Radu Busila of PPCD. In Bubuieci the voters will choose between the communist Oleg Balutel an Ion Saranut of the Green Alliance Party, the town mayor since 2003. [With their mayors elected, suburbanites are expected to vote again] The second round of local elections will take place on June 17. All the residents of the municipality are expected to take part in the second round, even if they already elected their local mayors. The next Sunday they will elect the Mayor General, choosing between the candidate of the ruling party Veaceslav Iordan and liberal Dorin Chirtoaca.