Following recent actions by the Republic of Moldova’s Socialist (PSRM) government that undermine the integrity of the electoral process, the Head of EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee, Siegfried Muresan MEP, together with the Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Andrius Kubilius MEP and Euronest Vice-Chair Andrzej Halicki MEP made the following statement:

“We are closely following how PSRM’s recent changes undermine the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the presidential elections on 1 November 2020 and this is of great concern for us. President Dodon’s party has no shame or scruples in bending and adapting any electoral rule only to serve another win to its candidate.

It is more worrying that the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), an institution whose sole role is to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, is also playing by the PSRM’s script. It is unacceptable that CEC is trying to change the campaign financing rules just a few weeks before the elections by banning the use of financial donations to political parties by the candidates of the same parties. This not only poses a significant danger to have free and fair competition between candidates but also considerably undermines the chance for all the candidates to conduct a free and fair campaign.

We are seeing more electoral irregularities that endanger democratic presidential elections in Moldova. The reports of falsification of pre-registration applications for the opening of polling stations in the Russian Federation or the risk that the residents of the separatist region of Transnistria might be co-opted in vote-buying schemes are particularly worrisome.

With more than a month ahead of the presidential elections, CEC must abide by the rules and ensure for all candidates, not just for the governing elite, a free and fair election campaign. In cooperation with all international bodies, OSCE, Council of Europe and the European Union, we will closely monitor the integrity of the electoral campaign in Moldova. Any manipulation or deviation from democratic standards will result in a strong condemnation and a revision of the EU-Moldova relations.”