Irregularities were reported at the polling stations in Russia. According to Promo-LEX observers, a group of young people distributed jackets with the inscription “Moldova-Russia” to voters at one of the two polling stations established in Moscow. Those who left the polling stations were offered invitations to a nearby café, access to the cafes being based on numbered invitations. Observers also reported six cases of rumors, attempts or situations of material or monetary rewards, offered to voters within a radius of 100 meters from the polling station.
According to Nicolae Panfil, head of the Promo-LEX mission, another group of young people offers flyers with the “card of the citizen of Moldova in Russia” - a card previously announced by various organizations in Russia. When the card is activated, particular benefits and the possibility of participating in a raffle with prizes are offered.
At polling stations No. 18 and 19 in Cocieri, voters who were traveling in an organized way away from the polling station discussed that they would be paid for a vote. At polling station No. 8 in Varnița, a group of voters, looking for the transport that brought them, said that they voted against a candidate for another candidate on the ballot and for their vote they were promised 1,000 lei. At the polling station in Sănătăuca, a group of three people were discussing that they would be given 400 lei each for the vote and 100 lei for transport. At polling station No. 21 in Doroțcaia, people approached the car with Promo-LEX observers and offered them to sell their vote. In Cocieri, a group of three people spoke about remuneration of 2,000-3,000 lei for a vote.
Also, according to Promo-LEX, 237 polling stations out of 614 polling stations are not accessible to people with special needs, 346 are not heated and 352 experienced crowdedness. Observers also reported incidents, such as the presence of advertising materials in the immediate vicinity of the polling station, black PR within a radius of 100 meters or inside the polling station, 14 cases, and 19 cases of unjustified presence of unauthorized persons inside the polling station or nearby.
The breach of voting secrecy was reported in 60 cases, being the most frequent violation so far. Nicolae Panfil said the voters are not allowed to take photos of the marked ballot, to show the marked ballot and the ballot paper should be placed in the ballot box so that the voting option is not visible. Photographing the ballot paper can mean controlling the vote, and the photograph can be proof that the person voted as expected.
Also, 30 cases of unjustified group voting and six cases of obstruction of the free observation process in the polling station were noted.
By 02:00 p.m., Promo-LEX received 658 incident reports. Promo-LEX provided an e-mail address and a telephone number where citizens can report irregularities: sesizare@promolex.md and: 068438323.
