Disgruntled villagers block again local elections in Buteni

The fourth attempt to hold local elections in the village of Buteni in Hancesti district on December 16 was again cut short by a group of disgruntled villagers. Dozens of Buteni residents blocked on Sunday the access to the polling station in protest against the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to take the candidate Anatol Postolache off the ballot, which they considered illegal. CEC Secretary Iurie Ciocan told Info-Prim Neo that the Commission is to discuss the situation in Buteni at its meeting on Tuesday, December 18. Ciocan also informed that the members of the local electoral council announced their resignation yesterday. The problems in Buteni village appeared after the court invalidated the results of the elections for mayor, according to which the candidate Anatol Postolache scored a comfortable win. Postolache was accused of violating the Electoral Code. CEC announced rerun elections for July 1, but the election outcome was against invalidated. CEC arranged rerun elections in Buteni for October 14, but the villagers refused to vote because Postolache was excluded from the electoral race.