More than 100 of violations were identified during the several days of the start of the population and homes census. In most of the cases, the census takers do not have the necessary equipment and forms and fill out the questionnaires with the pencil, not the pen.
In a news conference at IPN, the representative of the Civic Movement “Moldova’s Young People” Anatol Ursu said the fact that the green line set up by the National Bureau of Statistics for reporting cases of violations in the census didn’t work during the first days is one of the most serious misdeeds. The employment of minors to work as census takers is another serious violation that concerns the basic human rights as this represent exploitation of child labor.
According to Anatol Ursu, there were recorded dozens of cases when the questionnaires were filled out with the pencil, not the pen. “Besides the fact that the people were not instructed about the procedure, this is also a clear indication of the nonprofessional way in which the National Bureau of Statistics organized the information campaign. Most of the times, the census takers argue that they use the pencil first in order not to make mistakes, but afterward they write accurately with the pen at home or at the mayor’s office. There are also used technical pencils that can be erased,” said Anatol Ursu.
He also said there were identified dozens of cases when the census takers were equipped inappropriately. They do not have a permit and go to people’s homes at 6am at a time when the visits can be made between 8am and 8pm. “Some of the census takers didn’t have sufficient forms and wrote the information in notebooks or on A4 format pages, saying they will transfer the data in the questionnaires afterward. An ingenious census taker from Stauceni commune, which forms part of Chisinau municipality, invites residents at his home to fill out the forms,” stated Anatol Ursu.
Among other violations identified by the representatives of the Civic Movement “Moldova’s Young People” is a case recorded in Rascani district, where the census takers speak only Russian and put such manipulating questions as “do you speak Moldovan?” or “are you Moldovan?”. In Soldanesti, Cahul and Briceni, the census takers urge the respondents to say they are Moldovans and speak Moldovan, explaining that they cannot say they are Romanians because they do not have Romanian nationality.
In Colibas village of Cahul district, a local man responsible for the census in Cahul has a criminal record, while in the districts of Ocnita and Edinet, the mayors designated the census takers as they wanted. Most of them are their relatives.
“An unordinary case happened in Mihalaseni, Ocnita. The former mayor created a team consisting of his employees who re-complete the questionnaires in an office of his. There are many irregularities. We will record them all and will present a list immediately after the census is over,” added Anatol Ursu.
In the same connection, the representatives of the Civic Movement “Moldova’s Young People” called upon the people of Moldova to report the violations and irregularities committed by the census takers during the census through the e-mail address incalcari.recensamant@tinerii.md and on the phone number 067693338.
