Moldovans when settled in different states call on the Moldovan authorities to ensure the right to vote and other political rights of the over 1 million Moldovan citizens who are abroad.
In a news conference at IPN, representatives of the diaspora, through video messages, requested to amend the legislation so as to allow the diaspora to vote for two days, both with the passport and with the identity card. They asked to introduce the term “diaspora voter” in the legislation and to make the polling place abroad permanent.
The representatives of the diaspora requested to open more polling places near consular offices so that the citizens do not have to wait for hours in a line to be able to vote and to adopt clear rules concerning the opening of additional polling places at the request of at least 300 voters or where many citizens voted in the previous elections.
The Moldovans abroad also suggest that each polling place should be transmitted by 5,000 ballots and that the challenges submitted on the election day should be reported online so that these are examined swiftly.
The participants asked to respect the Venice Commission’s recommendation to allow citizens eligible to vote from the diaspora to finance election runners and political parties, with contributions that would not exceed five average salaries a year.
As to the mixed-member electoral system, the representatives of the diaspora said this system in non-representative and antidemocratic. They requested to annul it as it favors the Party of Socialists or at least to introduce the runoff vote. The participants also transmitted a message to the pro-European forces, urging them to take part in the elections by a common electoral bloc so as to avoid the dispersion of votes, which is favorable to the Socialists.
Moldova’s ex-honorific consul to the U.S. Sergiu Gherman, who lives and works as a lawyer in Miami, said the right to vote becomes an accentuated problem in the diaspora. Over 100 countries have a system that enables the diaspora to take part in elections without deficiencies, but Moldova does not ensure such rights. “Before this November’s legislative elections, the problem of suffrage equity becomes more pressing,” stated the lawyer.
Valeriu Pasa, expert of the association “WatchDog.MD” Community, said 1/3 of the Moldovans eligible to vote are abroad. These ensure the economic survival of Moldova by cash transfers. The proposals of the diaspora representatives, if they are implemented, could help the citizens who are abroad to enjoy appropriate voting rights. The association “WatchDog.MD” Community synthesized the diaspora’s proposals in a draft law that will be supplemented with the proposals that will yet come. This will be published for consultations and will be then sent to Parliament for consideration.
