The ceiling on the sums that can be transferred to the accounts of election runners should be lowered, while the responsibility for the transferred amounts should be borne exclusively by the electoral competitors. The legislation should contain clearer provisions about the presentation of financial reports so as to ensure more efficient control. Such opinions were stated in debates on the proposal to change the electoral system held by Parliament. The provision concerning the financing of election campaigns by Moldovans who live abroad caused heated discussions, IPN reports.
Democratic MP Sergiu Sarbu said the draft law stipulates proportional penalties that are implemented gradually – from warning to fines and ending with refusal to register the candidate as election runner or annulment of the registration. “There is also a proposal to diminish the ceiling on donations by private individuals and legal entities, both for financing election runners and for financing political parties,” stated the MP.
Political analyst Roman Mihaes said he agrees with the imposition of penalties in the form of warning and fine, but the legislation should define concrete circumstances for annulling the registration so that there are no possibilities for the competent bodies to put excessive interpretations.
Head of the “Lex Scripta” Institute of Legislative Creation Mihai Corj said that if the goal to fight corruption is really pursued, the ceiling on party funding by legal entities and private individuals should be decreased. “We suggested that the private individual should be able to annually make a donation of four monthly average official salaries. Currently, the average official salary is 5,300 lei for 2017. In the case of legal entities, the donation should not exceed 40 salaries,” stated Mihai Corj.
Secretary of the Central Election Commission Veaceslav Agrigoroae said that as regards the financial responsibility in the signature collection process, it is not clear what happens to the money after the initiative group stops work and what is the connection between the group and the election runner. The Election Code should contain an article that would clearly regulate these aspects. The suggestion is to make the election runner that is supported by the initiative group responsible for managing the account.
“Promo-LEX” programs director Pavel Postica noted he is for halving the ceiling on donations. He said signatures should be collected in case of political parties as well, but these should not be obliged to register initiative groups. The registration of initiative groups should be mandatory only for independent candidates, while the citizens who live abroad should be allowed to contribute money to election campaign funding, even if in a smaller amount.
Analyst Victor Gurau also said the highest limit on donations should be decreased and criminal liability should be introduced for those who declare zero costs to the tax authorities, but make donations in the election campaign.
Chairman of the Green Ecologist Party Anatolie Prohnitski said the Republic of Moldova should increase the financial responsibility by the model of the Baltic States, where advertising through posters, radio and TV is banned because it is enough for electoral competitors to promote their ideas at the local level and they thus do not need to spend money.
National Liberal Party chairwoman Vitalia Pavlichenko stated that the collection of signatures should be compulsory only for independent candidates. These cannot be treated in the same way as parties that work permanently, stage events, compile reports, etc.
A number of civil society organizations that criticized the attempt to change the electoral system during protests refused to take part in the public debates on the introduction of the mixed-member electoral system or the uninominal voting system staged by Parliament. In a statement, these said that since the recommendations of the Venice Commission are not respected, any discussion on the proposal to change the electoral system is illogical. The opposition parties “Action and Solidarity” and “Platform Dignity and Truth” also announced they would not take part in the discussions.
During its plenary session on June 16, the Venice Commission adopted opinions that critically assess the draft law for Moldova’s electoral system for the election of Parliament. Following extensive public consultations with all relevant stakeholders, the joint opinion concluded that the proposed reform cannot be considered as having been adopted by broad consensus. It raises “significant concerns” including the risk that constituency members of parliament would be vulnerable to being influenced by business interests. Furthermore, the responsibility vested with the Central Election Commission to establish single-mandate constituencies for the majoritarian component is based on vague criteria that pose a risk of political influence.
