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Promo-LEX Association expresses its concern about the lack of coordination with Chisinau authorities regarding the opening of 24 polling stations in the Transnistrian region for the presidential election of Russia.

On 18 March 2018, presidential elections will be organised in the Russian Federation. On this occasion, the authorities of the Russian Federation decided to open 27 polling stations in the Republic of Moldova. Of these, 3 are established on the territory controlled by the constitutional authorities and the other 24 are established in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.[1]

Promo-LEX Association regrets the manner in which it was decided to set up and operate those 24 polling stations in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. We believe that these actions, which do not seem to be coordinated with the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, are contrary to the diplomatic customs and confirm once more that the Russian Federation has the de facto control over the administration of the Transnistrian region.

Russia supports the Transnistrian regime and refuses to enforce ECtHR judgements concerning the region
Also, Promo-LEX Association points out that the authorities of the Russian Federation have a totally different behavior and message when are called to intervene in cases of human rights violations committed by representatives of the breakaway administration, and refuse to enforce the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.[2] In such situations, the Russian authorities invoke their lack of jurisdiction over this territory and the lack of control over the Tiraspol administration. However, as we can see, including in the current situation concerning the set up and operation of the polling stations, the Russian Federation continues to offer support and exercises a very generous and unconditional political, diplomatic, economic, social, military and media control. We reiterate that this support is provided contrary to the rules of international law and bilateral documents signed with the Republic of Moldova.

Lack of response from Chisinau
Promo-LEX Association also regrets the lack of clear formal response from the constitutional authorities of the Republic of Moldova, especially from MFAEI, regarding the organisation of the Russian presidential elections on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, even if in the past such unilateral actions were heavily criticised at official level.

Response of Promo-LEX Association
Promo-LEX Association, that specialises in promoting and defending human rights in the Transnistrian region and in monitoring the democratic processes in the Republic of Moldova, including the observation and monitoring of elections, believes that:

• organising the elections of the Russian Federation by opening 24 polling stations in the Transnistrian region is another act of serious violation of the rules of international law;
• electoral campaign and voter information campaign organised in the Transnistrian region does not meet the necessary criteria of free and fair elections, and violates the rights of voters and election candidates running in the election campaign from the Russian Federation;
• organising the elections on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, on the territory uncontrolled by the constitutional authorities, in violation of the Russian Federation legislation, also questions the fairness and the freedom of the entire electoral process of the Russian Federation President.

Promo-LEX states that the elections from the Transnistrian region seem to be conducted in violation of the Russian legislation. The commitments assumed by the Tiraspol administration, including material ones, such as transportation of voters to polling stations, is an infringement of Article 9 of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation on the Election of the President, which sets without exemption that the events related to the preparation and conduct of the elections of the President of the Russian Federation are funded (exclusively) on the account of Federal Budget funds.

Also, taking into account that the Russian Federation recognises the Transnistrian region and its administration as part of the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the direct involvement of the de facto Tiraspol administration in the elections is contrary to Article 11 of the same Law, which prohibits the participation in presidential election of foreign citizens, stateless persons, international organisations and movements, and of non-commercial organisations with functions of foreign agent.

The active collaboration between the de facto Tiraspol administration and the Russian Federation authorities in organizing these elections is confirmed by the following:

• the Russian Ambassador to Moldova, Farit Muhametsin requested directly the assistance of the Tiraspol administration to organise the elections in Transnistria without requesting the opinion of the MFAEI and of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova;
• the Tiraspol leader, Vadim Krasnoselski ordered ‘to provide premises, means of transport and communication to certain electoral committees established by the Russian Embassy in the Republic of Moldova that are necessary to conduct the elections’;
• the Tiraspol administration ran an election campaign by organising certain public events;
• The Tiraspol administration committed to provide free transportation for all who will want to vote;
• More than 60,000 electoral materials were distributed, and over 192,000 ballot papers were prepared;
• A number 24 polling stations were set up and opened – twice more than during the previous elections from 2016.

Contacts: Emil Gaitur, Promo-LEX Communicator – email: [email protected]; tel.: +37369172642.

You are welcome to take over the information from Promo-LEX press releases, but you must mention the Association as a source. Also, the texts of the Association’s press releases can be edited.

[1] Polling stations outside the Russian Federationhttp://www.cikrf.ru/analog/prezidentskiye-vybory-2018/obespechenie-izbiratelnykh-prav/za_predel_golos.php

[2] International Conference: Enforcing the ECHR Judgments Concerning the Transnistrian Region, https://promolex.md/11623-conferinta-internationala-executarea-hotararilor-cedo-in-cauzele-privind-regiunea-transnistreana/?lang=ro

List of persons responsible for human rights violations in Transnistrian region, https://promolex.md/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1-Promo-LEX_lista_persoanelor_02.03.2018.pdf