PCRM accuses Government of intention to rig votes abroad

The Communists Party (PCRM) accuses the Government of intention to rig the results of the constitutional referendum abroad. Communist MP Grigore Petrenko and jurist Sergiu Sarbu Thursday said that the Moldovan authorities will send 200,000 ballots abroad, but the number of voters there is lower. They also accused the Government of not taking steps to ensure the security of the citizens at polling places and of instructing the local public authorities to make the main registers of voters shorter so that the turnout in the September 5 referendum be higher than 1/3, Info-Prim Neo reports. Grigore Petrenko said it will be possible to rig the votes at the polling places abroad as the political parties will not be able to supervise the voting process there. “Earlier, the Opposition could have four representatives at the electoral offices, but now they can have only one. Moreover, this representative will not be able to travel abroad as the related costs must be covered by the party,” Petrenko said. Sergiu Sarbu stressed that until the Moldovan authorities do not sign agreements with the authorities of the countries where additional polling places will be opened, besides those set up at embassies and consulates, the voting process will not be safe. According to the jurist, some of the polling places abroad do not meet the standards. He said a polling place in an Italian town will be set up in the basement. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, the president of the Central Election Commission Eugeniu Stirbu said the electoral offices will start work on August 16. It will be later known how many voters are abroad and how many ballots should be sent there. “It is too early to give figures now,” he said. A number of 78 polling places will be opened abroad for the September 5 constitutional referendum.