The electoral process, including the Election Day, was conducted mostly in line with international standards. Elections were administered efficiently and in a transparent manner by the electoral administration, although some of the most important CEC decisions put into question the impartiality of some of its members. The campaign was competitive but marred by a number of alleged violations including misuse of administrative resources, illegal financing, and vote-buying. This is the preliminary conclusion of ENEMO (European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, International Mission) reports IPN.
Mr.Zlatko Vujovic, the Head of the ENEMO Mission to Moldova, underlined during the the press conference organised at IPN that the polarized and largely biased media landscape, as well as the dissemination of false information, have limited the range of political views presented to voters by electoral candidates. Delays in complaints adjudication as well as inconsistent decisions on key aspects of the electoral process additionally affected the legal certainty of the entire process.
Ms.Elene Nizharadze, The Deputy Head of the Mission, remarked that the elections were carried in a calm environment, despite some irregularities observed which did not affect the legitimacy of the process. The preliminary turnout as announced by the CEC was 48.41 percent. According to preliminary results, two political parties (PAS and SOR) and one electoral bloc (BECS) could be expected to take part in the new Parliament’s composition.
Mr.Elidon Lamani, electoral expert, observer at the Central Electoral Comission, stated that CEC mostly met all the legal deadlines and conducted its activities efficiently, despite facing multiple challenges, such as an insufficient budget to fully finance the process, organizing polling stations abroad and those for voters from the left bank of Dniester river, implementing COVID-19 prevention measures for ensuring protection of the health of voters, EMB members and other stakeholders. Moreover, while the conduct of the electoral process by the CEC has been generally assessed by most interlocutors as professional and transparent, several interlocutors voiced concerns that in specific cases, the CEC decision-making process was politically motivated. Concerns were related to the decisions pertaining to the establishment of polling stations for voters abroad and from the left bank of Dniester river, as well as to the failure to adopt a decision on the organized transportation of voters on Election Day.
Ms. Maja Milikic, media analyst, highlifhted that overall the media landscape in Moldova is pluralistic, but polarized with a lack of independence from political interests. The television is the main source of information followed by online and social media.
Mr.Zlatko Vujovic, Head of ENEMO Missions, reinforced that the ENEMO deployed Mission for the 2021 Parliamentary Elections in Moldova is formed by 7 Core Team experts and 10 long-term observers that have been deployed on 1st June of this year. Until July 10, the ENEMO mission conducted 738 meetings with different stakeholders. During the E-day ENEMO observers followed E-day procedures in 158 out of 2000 in country polling stations, which represents 7,9 percent of the total number of polling stations in Moldova. The mission will continue to monitor and assess the overall political and electoral environment, conduct of election management bodies, campaigning, gender equity, voting and tabulation processes, electoral dispute resolutions and other crucial aspects of the process, based on international standards for democratic elections and the Moldovan legal framework.
This Preliminary Statement is based on ENEMO’s findings from the pre-election period and the Election Day. The Statement should be considered in conjunction with the Interim Report of the mission, issued on 30 June. The Mission will stay in the country until the conclusion of the electoral process to follow post-election developments. A final report, including a full assessment, which will depend in part on the conduct of the remaining stages of the elections, detailed findings, and recommendations will be issued within sixty days from the certification of results.
ENEMO’s international observation mission for the 11 July 2021 Early Parliamentary Elections in Moldova is financially supported by the Delegation of the European Union, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the National Democratic Institute.