Romanian citizens in Moldova vote “for Romania's modernization”

The attendance of Romanian citizens living in Moldova at the polling booths opened for the presidential election on Sunday, November 22, is pleasing the members of the polling stations. By 9:00, more than 100 persons cast their votes at the station #171, located inside the Romanian Embassy in Chisinau, and the attendance gets bigger and bigger, Ion Serban, the station's chairman, has told Info-Prim Neo. “We had the first voter at 7:00 (when the station opened), followed by rather large numbers of people, and two hours later we had more than 100 voters. There are five members of the commission, the process of voting is quite intense here, but I think we'll cope with the large numbers of voters”, said Ion Serban, adding that no incidents occurred at his station. According to him, the voter turnout this year is bigger than at the previous two polls, the parliamentary elections in November 2008 and the elections for the European Parliament in June 2009. “Presidential elections have traditionally aroused more interest in the voters living in Moldova”, said Serban. Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca of Chisinau came to the station #171 in the morning and chose to wait in line, despite being invited by the station's chairman to avoid the queue. “I have voted for the modernization of Romania and its institutions, with the hope that Romania will become the state which will help Moldova on all levels, so that Moldova becomes member of the European Union”, stated Chirtoaca after casting his vote. One voter, Petru Sclifos, said he voted for “logical and great transformations”, while Lidia Razlog, also a voter, said she voted for “a unified nation, for the future of the young generations from Moldova and Romania”. The 13 polling stations set up in Moldova opened at 7:00 and will close at 21:00. Four of them are located inside the embassy and consulate in Chisinau, and the remaining nine in Cahul, Giurgiulesti, Causeni, Nisporeni, Orhei, Anenii Noi, Ungheni, Balti and Soroca. Besides the election of the president, the voters take part in a referendum on the introduction of the unicameral parliament and the reduction of parliamentary seats. The ballot count will start immediately after the stations are closed.