The organization of voting in the Transnistrian region, besides the common electoral risks, implies specific electoral risks. Being a territory that is not controlled by the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Moldova, security, political and election rigging risks can appear there. The legality, integrity and security of the voting process in the Transnistrian region were discussed by the invitees of a public debate staged by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), IPN reports.
IPRE executive director Iulian Groza reminded of the CEC’s decision to establish polling stations in settlements that are outside the constitutional control of the Moldova authorities. The decision was reviewed on June 15, following also negative appraisals from the responsible authorities and opinions of civil society. According to him, the fact that the establishment of three polling stations in Bender and Corjova was annulled didn’t eliminate the potential risks and concerns related to the organization of the parliamentary elections for voters from the Transnistrian region for which 41 polling stations will be organized.
According to Alexandru Berlinschi, head of the CEC‘s Election Management Division, since 1994 the voters with the domicile on the left side of the Nistru have been able to exercise their right to vote. They voted primarily in national elections rather than in local elections. Eight polling stations were established initially. The number rose gradually. There were 42 polling stations in the presidential elections of 2020. The voter turnout was the highest in the presidential runoff of 2020 – about 31,000 voters. The voter turnout was also high in the presidential elections of 2016 and the parliamentary elections of 2019. The number of polling stations abroad is determined based on data from the state register of voters and on preregistrations.
Pavel Postica, development and assessment manager at Promo-LEX, noted that the right to vote is not an absolute right. It can be limited under particular circumstances by particular entities, but this should be stipulated by law. The right to vote is directly related to the right to be informed. The vote cannot be conscious and freely expressed as long as the right to obtain information from all the possible sources about the electoral process and candidates is not ensured. It is hard to realize the right to vote in an occupied territory as a part of the rights there are violated by entities that assumed powers of public authorities. The consequences of establishing polling stations on the uncontrolled territory can be unpredictable and rather dangerous for the electoral process and state security.
Alexandru Flenchea, ex-deputy prime minister for reintegration, said the voting process for the citizens from the Transnistrian ration is associated with a number of risks and problems. On the one hand, these risks are common for the electoral process everywhere, like voter corruption, multiple voting, organized transportation of voters to polling stations. There are legal provisions designed to fight these. On the other hand, the electoral process on the left side of the Nistru also implies specific risks, such as the limitation of election contenders’ access for campaigning there, of the access to information, of the electoral observers’ access. The access to an unsafe zone means unsecured ballots, unprotected personal data, unsecured stamps “voted”, computers that are not connected to state information systems that can compromise the information systems of the country.
Cristina Lesnic, ex-deputy prime minister for reintegration, stated that the Moldovan authorities should focus a lot on investment in security and human rights. The reintegration portfolio is very complex and it includes failures too. During the pandemic, many people could not reach the workplace or education institutions as circulation between the right and left banks of the Nistru was hampered. The pool of voters in the Transnistrian region equaled the potential of the electoral pool that voted last year in the diaspora. The capacity of the voters from the region should not be underestimated and their right to vote should be ensured. But the security element should have been assessed before deciding to establish polling stations in Corjova and Bender.
The seventh online public debate in the #EUDebatesCafe format titled “Legality, integrity and security of organizing elections for voters from the Transnistrian region” was organized by IPRE with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation Moldova in cooperation with the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (CALC).
