Well-informed citizens will commit fewer violations, including those of electoral law. If they know what hate speech is, they will try to avoid using it and will know how to report it. In this sense, continuous training is absolutely key, says Viorica Calugher, trainer at the Center for Continuous Training in Electoral Matters, during an IPN debate on Wednesday.

The expert believes that an informed voter knows how to identify behaviors and speeches that promote hatred and discrimination. “When I as a voter know what hate speech means, I know how to identify its elements, I realize what its effects are, not only directly on me, as a voter, as a Moldovan citizen, but the effects on the whole society. With joint efforts we can change things, because through voters, through other interested parties of the electoral process, this phenomenon can be prevented, identified in time and can be considerably reduced”, she declared.

Viorica Calugher says that first of all it is important to know about this phenomenon and for citizens to understand its harm. “With this understanding, we can fight from the position we have, no matter what positions we occupy in the electoral process: voter, electoral official, observer, representative of the electoral competitor, journalist or other categories. So all of us, in whatever positions we are in this process, must identify and prevent and act when we detect these phenomena”, she stated.

Viorica Calugher says that the process of information, training and electoral education is continuous and involves several social actors. According to her, in order to increase the level of political culture in the country and that of information in electoral matters, a joint and sustained effort is needed. “We are not the only ones who undertake training and informing society about electoral processes, rights, obligations and opportunities. Of course, we do it together with other social actors, and I would mention here the role of civil society organizations that work with certain target groups, and here is the case for those who advocate for women’s rights, for the rights of people with disabilities, of ethnic or sexual minorities”, said Viorica Calugher.

The debate was the first installment of a series of debates on the local elections, run by IPN with the support of the Soros Moldova Foundation.