Ombudswoman Maia Bănărescu requested the Central Election Commission to urgently review the list of polling stations abroad for the snap parliamentary elections of July 11 by increasing the number for polling places in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and the initial list of the CEC of June 4, 2021. A note with such recommendations was sent to CEC president Dorin Cimil, IPN reports, quoting a press release of the ombudswoman.

Maia Bănărescu noted that as the Election Code provides that the CEC sends up to 5,000 ballots to each of the polling stations established abroad, the optimal solution for ensuring the exercise of the right to vote for each citizen is to set up a higher number of PSs.

The ombudswoman warns that the people’s will is the basis of the state power. This will is expressed by free elections that are held regularly by universal, equal, direct, secret and freely expressed vote.

According to Maia Bănărescu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initially proposed establishing 191 polling stations abroad as a result of consultations held by Moldova’s embassies with the communities of Moldovans abroad and of discussions with representatives of civil society.

It its prenotice, the Ministry informed the CEC that all the diplomatic missions during a short period of time notified the authorities of the states of accreditation of the organization of the snap parliamentary elections on July 11 and the intention to establish PSs on their territory.