While Moldova’s run-off elections were generally trusted, unclear legal provisions affected preparations and campaign, election observers say

CHISINAU, 29 June 2015 – While yesterday’s run-off elections in Moldova enjoyed the trust of most stakeholders, the legal framework does not adequately address run-off contests, including to ensure that recounts have been completed and that first-round results have been finalized before the second round is held, observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a statement issued today.

“While there was general trust in the elections, unclear legal provisions for run-offs and first-round recounts affected second-round campaign activities and preparations, and cases of the abuse of temporary voter registration provisions during the first round decreased confidence in the election process,” said Kimmo Kiljunen, Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission. “While fundamental freedoms were generally respected during the campaign, there were isolated incidents of violence and irregularities.”

The Central Election Commission (CEC) managed preparations efficiently and continued to enjoy the trust of most stakeholders. The level of confidence in some lower level commissions was, however, decreased following their overall performance during the first round, including the handling of complaints.

A number of complaints were submitted by candidates and voters concerning potential abuses during the first round of temporary residence registration provisions. The result was reduced public trust in the integrity of voters lists, and the Parliament ultimately held a hearing on the issue. The responsible ministry, the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, announced it would investigate, but no results had been made public as of election day.

The law does not clearly define when candidates may resume campaigning after the first-round campaign silence period ends. The CEC put the start of the run-off campaign at 16 June, while most candidates began earlier, the day after the first round vote.

The media provided the public with broad coverage of the campaign, but failed to provide balance. While the Audio-visual Co-ordination Council noted this bias in its report for the period from 7 to 14 June, it failed to take any action, and its report for the second round was to be published only after the vote. Thus, it was unable to ensure respect for media laws.

The campaign was generally more discreet than during the first round, and its intensity and tone varied across the country. Candidates were able to campaign freely in a calm election atmosphere, although there were four reported incidents of election-related violence. The misuse of official resources for campaign purposes by some incumbents was also noted.

For further information contact:

Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR, mobile: +373 68 671 274 or +48 609 522 266, [email protected]