The Party of Socialists (PSRM) requests the Government and the Central Election Commission (CEC) to take into account the real number of citizens with the right to vote when deciding the number of polling places that will be established abroad for the February 24, 2019 elections. The Socialists suggest establishing by 100 polling places in constituencies No. 49 and 50 eastward and westward Moldova and 30 polling places in constituency No. 51 that covers the U.S. and Canada, IPN reports.

“If the Government or the CEC deviates from the proportional representation principle of the citizens, we reserve the right to go to court to challenge an eventual CEC decision or to the Constitutional Court to dispute the Government decision if the proportion is not respected,” stated the PSRM’s representative with the right of consultative vote to the Central Election Commission Maxim Lebedinski.

According to the party’s ideological secretary Ion Ceban, at the elections held since 2014, many of the Moldovans who are abroad could not exercise their right to vote. The state should ensure equal voting conditions and should not forget that they are those who send billions of euros to the country.

“We welcome the opening of more polling places in the EU, the U.S. and Canada. Of the 99 polling places established in 2014, only eight were situated on the territory of the Russian Federation, while the others in these countries even if two thirds of our compatriots were then on Russia’s territory, about 600,000 according to official reports. Current official reports show 400,000 Moldovans with the right to vote are in Russia,” stated Ion Ceban.

Under the Election Code, a polling place is opened for minimum 30 and maximum 3,000 voters.