Romanian citizens in the Republic of Moldova must participate in large numbers in Romania's presidential and parliamentary elections and vote for candidates they know who can genuinely represent them. This call comes from Iurie Ciocan, former head of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), now the leader of Romania's PSD organization in Moldova and a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections across the Prut, IPN reports.
“In the Republic of Moldova, there are 1,200,000 Romanian citizens who have regained their citizenship and, implicitly, have voting rights. A large portion of these Moldovan citizens are abroad, including in Romania and other EU member states. Surveys show that approximately 22-25% of the people currently living in Moldova hold dual citizenship, including Romanian. This represents an estimated 300,000 individuals physically present in Moldova”, stated Iurie Ciocan in an interview with Romania's Gândul publication.
According to Iurie Ciocan, Romanian voters in Moldova have a clear orientation toward European values and strengthening ties with Romania. “These are undoubtedly 100% pro-European individuals who support Moldova's integration into the EU. Many of them view this integration as achievable through Romania, by fostering closer relations. Surveys indicate that approximately 30% of the population supports and desires Moldova’s reunification with Romania. This profile is also present”, added the PSD leader from Moldova.
Ciocan noted that in recent years, the lack of engagement by certain Romanian leaders has dampened the enthusiasm of this electorate. “For example, the current President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, during his 10-year term, has visited Chisinau, I believe, only twice. In contrast, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has visited Chisinau more than five or six times in the past year, meeting with Moldova's leadership and establishing joint collaboration paths. In the upcoming presidential elections, I believe Romanian citizens in Moldova will demonstrate greater pragmatism. They will avoid voting for individuals they do not know or for those who have not devoted sufficient time and attention to Moldova”, Ciocan said.
The PSD candidate also emphasized the need for Moldovans to have a direct voice in Romania's legislative body. “We need representation in the Romanian Parliament. For over 30 years since the post-Soviet era, we have not had direct political representation of our interests. This has always been mediated by political parties in a depersonalized manner”, said the PSD leader from Moldova.
Voting for Romania's presidential elections began on Friday. In Moldova, 59 polling stations have been set up, with the highest concentration - 16 stations - in Chisinau.
The parliamentary elections are scheduled for December 1, with overseas voting taking place over two days, Saturday and Sunday. Iurie Ciocan is running on PSD’s list in Constituency 43, allocated to the diaspora, which includes Moldova.
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