Press-Release
on the organization of the debate “Particularities of the 2016 Presidential Elections: View of Extra-Parliamentary Parties”, the 61st installment of the “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” Series
Public debates series held by the news agency IPN in its conference room with the support of the German Foundation “Hanns Seidel”
Held on 22 September 2016, Debate 61 brought together Ivan Guci, vice president of the Patriots of Moldova Party; Chiril Moţpan, vice president of the Dignity and Truth Platform Party; Valeriu Chiveri, foreign secretary of People’s European Party; Ana Guţu, president of the Right Party; and Vladimir Bolea, vice president of PAS Party’s Chisinau organization.
This was the second debate in a miniseries of four installments dedicated to the 2016 presidential elections. This time the debate discussed the particularities of the current electoral period as seen by the extra-parliamentary parties, after representatives of the parliamentary parties met for a similar debate the day before. The next two debates, to be held in October, will have party nominees and independent candidates, as well as civil society experts. Invitations for debate 61 were sent out to all the extra-parliamentary parties that announced their intention to participate in the elections, seven of them in total. Five took part in the debate eventually, which allows us to believe that the event was representative for the entire spectrum of the Moldovan political parties not present in the Parliament.
Most speakers in the debate agreed that the October 30 presidential elections could be ignored by the voters as they are held amid social despair…
Ivan Guci, deputy chairman of the Party “Moldova’s Patriots”, said these are the first presidential elections whose legality is open to question. The parliamentary parties, which have administrative resources, play unfairly. “Moldova’s Patriots” considers that the goal of the upcoming elections is to steal the powers enjoyed by the Head of State,” he stated.
The leader of The Right Ana Gutu said non-transparency as regards voter rolls is the first feature; the vitiation of the elections from the start, when the people’s right to be chosen is violated, is the second feature, while the almost full exclusion of the diaspora from the voting process is the third feature. These features make the elections of this autumn to be ‘hit’ by vitiation or possibly even rigging.
Valeriu Chiveri, international secretary of the European People’s Party of Moldova, said the presidential elections are more specific because the direct election of the President was restored and there are many persons who intend to run. The boycotting of the elections by one party is another typical feature.
Vladimir Bolea, deputy head of the Chisinau municipal organization of the Party “Action and Solidarity”, said the elections for his party are a test that will show if it is able to strengthen itself. “We witness an inequitable and fully illegal signature collection process. There are inaccurate lists that include persons who died,” stated the politician, noting that these elections are held in a period when the people are in despair.
Chiril Motpan, deputy chairman of the Political Party “Platform Dignity and Truth”, said the distinctive features of the upcoming elections include an expected acid and discriminatory election campaign. “We saw already the first actions of the ruling politicians. The media dirt against candidates, especially against the leader of the PPPDA Andrei Nastase, is another aspect,” he stated.
The Agency published 6 news stories on the debate (see the English version of www.ipn.md): on 22.09.16, “Specific features of presidential elections: vision of extraparliamentary parties, IPN debate” - http://www.ipn.md/en/arhiva/79138; on 23.09.16, “Ivan Guci: Three types of candidates run in presidential elections” - http://www.ipn.md/en/arhiva/79142; “Ana Gutu: Theft of US$1billion showed that Moldova is a failed state” - http://www.ipn.md/en/arhiva/79143; “Valeriu Chiveri: Apparent stability caused widespread apathy in society” - http://www.ipn.md/en/arhiva/79145; “Vladimir Bolea: Nation can be now described as demoralized” - http://www.ipn.md/en/arhiva/79146; “Chiril Motpan: We have cemetery-like stability that suits some of mafiots” - http://www.ipn.md/en/arhiva/79147.
Valeriu Vasilica, director of IPN