http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/56016496Moldova took an important step towards ensuring free and fair elections and the November 30 legislative elections were held in accordance with the international law. Expert of the Minsk Association “Vesna” Vladimir Labkovich, in a news conference at IPN, said deviations were yet noticed and the expert mission of the European Platform for Democratic Elections has recommendation for improving the electoral process.

Vladimir Labkovich noted that the current legislation of Moldova allows to radically change the list of candidates seven days before the elections. But this thing confuses the voters. That’s why the modifications that can be made to the list should be limited. The Central Election Commission does not have enough powers to check all the money spent by the election runners and this thing should be regulated by the legislation.

The expert mission also recommended that the extraparliamentary parties should have representatives in the electoral bureaus as this will increase the level of transparence of the electoral process. Vladimir Labkovich added that in the future the authorities should find a mechanism by which to guarantee the right to vote of the people from the Transnistrian region.

The experts consider that the authorities should learn from the mistakes made in implementing the electronic register of voters so as to ensure its smooth functioning in the next elections.

The expert mission of the European Platform for Democratic Elections has been in Moldova since November 26. The experts represent organizations of the Eastern Partnership, Russia and EU member states and cooperate in Moldova with the Association “Promo-LEX”.