Lib-Dems to sue authorities for not opening polling station abroad at ECHR

The Liberal Democratic Party from Moldova (PLDM) says it will sue the Moldovan authorities at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for not opening polling station abroad, save for the ones in diplomatic missions, Info-Prim Neo reports. The party leader, Vlad Filat, said at news conference on February 10 that “the PLDM will act as a barrister for the Moldovans abroad, for not being created conditions to cast their votes.” According to him, the request is to be submitted urgently. “We'll ask for condemning the Moldovan Government. We have the mandate of communities of Moldovans in Ireland, Britain, Spain and Italy.” According to the Lib-Dem leader, even though the ECHR's decision may be pronounced after the elections day, in case it is condemning, “the present rulers will be anyway responsible for not observing the right of hundreds of thousands of citizens outside their state.” “Moldova's embassy in Britain can service some 7,000 people a day, as only in London there are some 10,000 Moldovans,” said deputy president of the Party Alexandru Tanase. “Those 10-15 thousand Moldovans from Ireland are also sent to vote there, since Moldova does not have a diplomatic mission in Dublin. So, the right of those people to vote cannot be observed even in theory,” he said. The Central Election Commission's statement that the Moldovan legislation does not allow for opening other polling stations but the ones in diplomatic missions is “an erroneous interpretation of the law,” said lawyer Vitalie Nagacevschi, a PLDM member. “There is a right to the freedom of elections. The state is bound not to hamper but to ensure their unfolding,” he underlined. “Although they may not be given the right to vote directly, indirectly – through their messages to their relatives here – the citizens will anyway vote against the Communists,” Vitalie Nagacevschi said. The PLDM threatens to organize large protests in Chisinau, unless the Moldovan authorities decide, till February 22, to open more polling stations abroad.