alegeri.md

Some media NGOs disagree with the decision taken by the Audiovisual Coordinating Council (CCA) on 15 September 2010, whereby the TV stations “Moldova 1” and “Publika TV” were sanctioned for having aired spots on civic education on the day of the constitutional referendum of 5 September. CCA decision is regarded as a challenge against the democracy and democratic values: freedom of expression, right to information, right to receive information, the right to vote. At the same time, this decision is considered as a dangerous precedent for press freedom and its role in electoral campaigns, since it contributes to increased confusion among citizens in exercising the electoral rights, as well as the rights and obligations of the political parties in electoral campaigns. CCA is called by signatory NGOs to withdraw its decision sanctioning “Moldova 1” and “Publika TV”. (press release signed by the ICJ, API, Access-info, IJC and APEL)

Promo-Lex Association is concerned by changes operated by Parliament to Art. 84 of the Electoral Code and launches an appeal to lawmakers to seek for undiscriminatory, systemic and universal legislative solutions. The operated amendment allows the pupils and students to vote at any polling station in areas where they study without residence or domicile visa. While it is considered as welcome, this amendment does not address the possible consequences and create discriminatory conditions for other categories in similar situations (MA, workers on construction sites and other people without permanent residence in large cities).Those voters will vote on supplementary lists, which will raise suspicions regarding the quality of voter lists. Third, the mechanism could allow unverifiable multiple voting situations. Promo-LEX recommends in this context to consider other non-discriminatory solutions, such as, for example, changes operated to paragraph 2 of Article 39 of the Electoral Code so as to increase by 20 days the deadline for the statement about the new place of “exercising the voting right”, and the advantages are: to ensure equal opportunities in exercising the voting right; more efficient process of completing the basic voter lists; single practice of exercising the voting rights by any voter. (press release of Promo-LEX Association)