A new phenomenon has been reported by the Promo-LEX Observer Association in the second round of the presidential election. This involves the presence of individuals outside polling stations, particularly in the diaspora, recording the flow of citizens arriving at the stations. Observations have been made in Bologna, Rimini, Rome, and Milan in Italy; Barcelona in Spain; Stuttgart in Germany; and the village of Grigorievca, Căușeni, reports IPN.
According to Nicolae Panfil, head of the Promo-LEX Observation Mission, "the presence of these individuals may indicate an attempt to intimidate voters, suggesting that this information could later be used to identify citizens, or it may be collected to verify voter turnout since there were rumors in the first round about a lower turnout in the diaspora."
Nicolae Panfil considers these actions concerning, as the purpose of these individuals near the polling stations is unclear, as well as how the collected data will be used.
Additionally, Promo-LEX reported 88 cases of violations of voting secrecy in areas such as Sângerei, Durlești, Ungheni, Ciorescu, Bădiceni, Turkey, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and others. Six cases of unjustified group voting were also observed. Nicolae Panfil emphasizes that voting should be freely expressed, and group voting violates this principle.
There were also five documented attempts to offer material or financial incentives to voters in Chișinău, Rezina, the Transnistrian region, and Turkey. In Istanbul, two voters discussed whether they would receive money again, as they did in the first round, mentioning an amount of $100 per vote.
Seven cases of organized voter transportation were recorded in Hagimus (on the left bank of the Dniester), in the Buiucani sector of Chișinău, and in Istanbul, Turkey. Promo-LEX also notes three incidents of violence and intimidation at polling stations.
Observers further report 12 cases of distributing electoral materials and six cases of negative campaigning or black PR within the polling station perimeter. In at least 22 cases, the unjustified presence of individuals inside or around polling stations was observed.
Out of the 614 monitored polling stations, 224 are inaccessible for people with mobility impairments, and 203 stations lack heating, according to Promo-LEX.
