Oleg Bolotnicov accuses CEC of groundlessly refusing to register him as independent candidate

Oleg Bolotnicov says that the Central Election Commission (CEC) refuses to register him as independent runner in the April 5 parliamentary elections without reason. At a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo Agency on March 10, he said he was called to the CEC a day earlier and told to withdraw his lists of signatures in his support, otherwise “they will find as many forged signatures as needed”. “I was told to give up the idea of running in elections, but they (the CEC – e.n.) don’t even know what violations I committed,” Bolotnicov said, stressing that the other contenders that filed the documents on the same day (March 4) already received an answer regarding their registration in the election race from the commission. Oleg Bolotnicov also said that on the day when he lodged the documents with the CEC, two lists of signatures were rejected. Over 570 signatures out of the 2,200 declared valid when he filed the application were later declared invalid (2,000 signatures are needed to be registered as independent candidate – e.n.). “They began to find problems everywhere – in the digits, in the number of the passport,” he said. Bolotnicov has told Info-Prim Neo that he was phoned by persons from the public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova and informed that he would not take part in election debates “until the CEC does not clarify the situation”. Oleg Bolotnicov was to participate in debates on March 9 alongside the “Moldova Unita” Party. Oleg Bolotnicov said he is expecting an official answer from the CEC. If the answer is negative, he will appeal the decision in court. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, the CEC secretary Iurie Ciocan said that under the Election Code the commission has 7 days at the disposal to examine the documents of an election contender. He also said that the CEC will pronounce its decision on Oleg Bolotnicov’s registration at the March 10 meeting. Oleg Bolotnicov is native of Ghidighici village of the municipality of Chisinau. He said he wants to run in elections in order to promote and defend peasants’ interests.