The elections to choose deputies of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia take place in conditions of insufficient financing provided to the local Central Election Commission for fulfilling its main election management duties. This can influence the quality of the election process. According to an election campaign monitoring report produced by “Piligrim-Nemo” Association, the limited budget does not offer the electoral authority the possibility of fulfilling the duties to monitor the observance of the electoral legislation and to inform the voters and election runners, IPN reports.
The reports says the resources allocated from the autonomous region’s budget are enough only for registering the candidates, printing the ballots and paying salaries to those involved in the organization of voting. Moreover, the money allocated from the budget hasn’t yet reached the CEC.
“Piligrim-Demo” says the quality of the election process management arouses concerns owing to two factors: late financing and conduct of two parallel campaigns – for the presidential elections and for the People’s Assembly elections. According to members of the Association, two of the members of the local CEC are involved in the administration of the presidential elections as well.
Furthermore, data that are not in the State Register of Voters are used in the electoral rolls of Gagauzia. This hampers the process of compiling the lists. Also, the deputies of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia who are also election runners use money from the reserve fund of Gagauzia in the election period. This creates unequal conditions for the candidates who didn’t hold the seat of deputy. The lack of transparency in reporting the money spent from the Reserve Fund is another reason for concern.
The elections for the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia of the sixth legislature will take place on November 20 this year, one week after the runoff presidential elections. The People’s Assembly of Gagauzia consists of 35 deputies elected for a four-year term in uninominal territorial constituencies by universal, equal, direct, secret and freely expressed vote.
