Political Parties Fair to premiere

A fair of political parties will be premiered by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), in a partnership with the civil society, earlier in December. The event is part of the action plan of the CEC in the wake of the 2009 parliamentary elections, Info-Prim Neo reports. CEC chairman Eugeniu Stirbu told a news conference on Monday that, at the fair, the political parties would have the opportunity to present themselves to voters and media. They will be proposed to sign a 'Conduct Code' – a covenant on unfolding and covering the electoral race -- to prevent attacks on the dignity and image of electoral competitors. According to Eugeniu Stirbu, the Code was also proposed in the local elections of 2007, but only 9 competitors signed it. No media signed the covenant then. The deputy chairwoman of the CEC, Renata Lapti, has said the CEC is in full swing bracing for the electoral campaign. On October 30, they will organize a workshop to exchange views with experts from the Venice Commission on the best practices in applying the Electoral Code. The CEC will hold training courses for party staffers, for the Court of Accounts, for the Anti-Corruption Center and the General Prosecutor's Office regarding the financing of political parties. The CEC will hold 'the week of the young voter' from October 20 to 25, as young people will meet local councilors, parliamentarians and CEC representatives. The CEC is getting ready an e-Registry of voters – a data base of the citizens entitled to vote. On the election day, each polling station will have at least one computer connected to the CEC on-line. CEC has got a budget of 47 million lei to organize the parliamentary elections in 2009, as the voters from the Transnistrian area are also envisaged.