CEC reiterates that it has no legal mechanism to open additional polling stations abroad

The Central Election Commission (CEC) reiterates that it has no legal mechanism to open additional polling stations abroad, other than those in the diplomatic missions of Moldova. A release of the commission aired on Monday, February 16, reads that the electoral Code doesn’t provide for alternative ways as voting on the place (with a mobile ballot box), Info-Prim Neo reports. The electoral legislation should be amended with provisions on the procedure of constituting polling stations where there are no diplomatic missions. Only in this case, the CEC would dispose of a legal mechanism of organizing elections abroad where there are no embassies or consulates, reads the release. The CEC also emphasizes that modifying the electoral legislation is not its competence. Associations of Moldovans from the USA, Ireland, Spain and Italy asked the CEC to open other polling stations than those in the diplomatic missions. An opposition political party threatened that if the Moldovan authorities do not do this, it will organize mass protestson February 22.