Polling station 1/148 in Chisinau has opened with a 45-minute delay due to the fact that the chair of the electoral bureau of the polling station showed up late. However, no voter lodged an appeal on the grounds that he failed to vote, note Promo-LEX observers, in the first report, which reflects the situation until 08.30.
At a press conference at IPN, the head of the Promo-LEX Mission for observing the general local elections and the snap parliamentary elections on October 20, Pavel Postica, has mentioned that observers identified electoral billboards within 100 meters of the polling station. Such violations were detected in nine localities. In Edinet, the chair of the Electoral Bureau had been notified ex officio and took measures to remove the billboard.
In three cases the ballot boxes were not properly sealed, either sealed with two seals, instead of four, or sealed much later than it was the case. Other violations have been observed at polling stations 1/176, 1/10 and 1/206, all from Chisinau municipality.
There were at least seven cases when cameras were out of order at the opening of polling stations. "Cameras were supposed to be turned on only at the opening of the polling stations, and then be turned off during the day, and turned on again for the counting of votes," says Pavel Postica. Such violations were attested at polling stations: 27/50 from Vasileuți, Râșcani, 28/35 Cubolta, Sânerei, 7/45 Lebedenco, Cahul, 7/4 Cahul, 28/35 Cubolta S Sangerei, 23/32 Seliște, Nisporeni and 34/31 Nucăreni, Telenesti.
The unjustified presence of persons claiming to be representatives of some electoral contenders has been established at polling station 1/111 in Chisinau, Buiucani. They did not present any confirmatory documents in this regard. At polling station 26/02 in Rezina the ballots are not kept in a safe place inside the polling station, but in a visible place, where any voter can have access.
Promo-LEX observers also reported deficiencies on the electoral rolls. At polling station 1/56 in Botanica sector, Chisinau, a voter was assigned to a different polling station, but according to the electoral rolls he was assigned to polling station 1/56. At polling station 1/142 of Center sector, although a voter was included by the SIAS operators on the electoral list, his name was not found and he was not offered the right to vote. And at polling station 1/298 in Grătiești, Chisinau municipality, a voter found that the date of birth introduced on the electoral lists did not coincide with the date of birth in the identity card.
At a polling station in Lujnoe, Cahul there was a power cut but the problem was solved shortly.
Promo-LEX has 307 observers in Chisinau, 59 in Balti, 12 in Comrat. In the country, apart from these three constituencies, 369 observers are dispatched. In uninominal constituency 48 there are 22 observers, while in uninominal circumscription 50 abroad - 12 observers.