Final decision: Students will be able to vote in settlements where they study

The Parliament passed the amendments to the Electoral Code that facilitate student voting in second reading. The students will be able to vote in the settlements where they study even if they do not have the residence visa or domicile there. The only condition is that they sign a statement whereby they pledge not to vote at another polling place again. They will vote using the identity card and the student card. The Communist faction voted against the amendments, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The students did not encounter obstacles when voting. We could see this in the September 5 constitutional referendum. We are in favor of allowing the student to vote where they want, but not were they study,” said Communist MP Anatolie Zagorodnyi. The nongovernmental association Promo-Lex urged the lawmakers to identify other legislative solutions that would be nondiscriminatory, systemic and universal. “The amendments create discriminatory conditions for other categories that are in a similar situation such as the students studying for a Master's Degree, persons working on building sites or other persons who do not have permanent domicile in large towns. Also, the students will vote under additional lists and this will increase distrust in the quality of the electoral rolls. There might be cases of multiple voting that could not be checked,” Promo-Lex says in a statement addressed to the lawmakers. Ion Pleshka, head of the parliamentary legal commission for appointments and immunities, said this is not discrimination. “Conditions are created for the students to vote freely where they are. There is nothing unusual,” said the AMN MP. As to the concerns about multiple voting, Acting President Mihai Ghimpu said it will not be possible as the stamp “Voted” is put in the loose leaf accompanying the identity card. “The students have not been protected by the Constitution so far,” said the Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu.