First debates on public radio and TV will take place on July 9

The national public broadcaster Teleradio Moldova will hold the first electoral debates for the July 29 legislative elections on Thursday, July 9. The order in which the first eight election contenders will participate in two rounds of debates was decided on Wednesday by draw, Info-Prim Neo reports. The debates on TV will start at 19.40, 21.40 and 22.30, while on radio – at 8.00, 11.00 and 17.00. The programs will last for 30 minutes. Every contender will have 12 minutes at the disposal. The Liberal Party (PL) and the National Liberal Party (PNL) will take part in Thursday’s debates that will start at 19.40 on television and 8.00 on radio. The Christian Democratic People’s Party will meet the Social Democratic Party (PSD) at the debates that will be broadcast on TV from 21.40 and on radio from 11.00, on the same day. The Communist Party (PCRM) and the Democratic Party (PD) will participate in the debates scheduled to start at 22.30 on TV and 17.00 on radio. The Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) and the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) will take part in the same round of debates on July 10, starting at 19.40 on TV and 8.00 on radio. The second round of debates will be held on July 10 and July 13. This time, the PLDM will meet the PSD, the PD – the AMN, the PCRM – the PPCD, while the PL - again the PNL. The program of the other competitors that submitted documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC) but have not been yet registered – the European Action Movement (MAE), the Ecologist Party “Green Alliance” and independent candidates Oleg Bolotnivcov and Maia Laguta – will be set by draw on July 13. A draw on the same day will decide the order of participation of all the contenders in the next rounds of debates. It is not yet known how many more rounds will be held as the number of runners is not final. Teleradio-Moldova was obliged by the CEC to start the electoral debates sooner than planned as a number of political organizations complained they are deprived of the right to campaign though they have been registered as contenders.