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1 November 2020
Time: 9.00 am

Promo-LEX Observation Mission of the Presidential Election in the Republic of Moldova of 1 November 2020 informs that as of 9.00 am the Mission had received 63 incident reports from observers, and this press release contain information on the 35 incidents processed by the central team of Promo-LEX Mission as of this hour:

Polling stations opening:

Promo-LEX Observation Mission of the Presidential Election in the Republic of Moldova of 1 November 2020 finds,

Restricting the observers’ access or preventing the free observation process at the polling station – 1 case.

• PS 36/7 Gagauzia, Comrat. Promo-LEX observer was denied access into the PS until 6:55 am. The observer arrived at the PS at 6:40 am, and the PEB Chairperson argued that observers had to be present at 6:30 am.

Presence of advertising materials, electoral billboards and posters in the vicinity of the polling station (within the area of 100 m from the PS) – 6 cases.

• PS 7/6, Cahul, Valeni. Advertising materials favouring two candidates were found on the ads panels within the area of 100 m from the PS. PEB Chairperson told Promo-LEX STOs that he had not noticed them. They have been removed.
• PS 01/266, Chisinau, Vadul lui Voda. The electoral poster of a candidate is displayed at a distance of about 20 meters from the PS. The PEB Chairperson was informed and he told that he would take measures to address it.
• PS 13/001, Donduseni, Donduseni. A candidate’s electoral posters in A4 form are displayed within 100 meters from the PS.
• PS 16/2, Edinet. The office of a candidate is located in front of the PS, at a distance of about 70 meters, and three banners with the candidate are displayed on the office gate. The PEB Chairperson was informed about this, but he did not react.
• PS 36/4, ATUG, Comrat. The banner of a candidate is displayed at a distance of about 70 meters from the PS.
• PS 18/54, Floresti, Radulenii Vechi. The banner of a candidate is displayed at a distance of about 50 meters from the PS.

Ballot boxes were not sealed according to the legal procedures/tearing/damage or absence of seals on ballot boxes — 5 cases.

• PS 01/221, Chisinau, Riscani. At 06.55 am, stationary ballot boxes were sealed with only 2 seals each. PEB Chairperson stated that all of the received seals had been used, and that he did not have other available.
• PS 35/72 Ungheni, Valea Mare. One stationary ballot box was sealed with 3 seals, one stationary ballot box was sealed with 2 seals. PEB Chairperson explained that this was the number of seals that he had received.
• PS 28/52, Singerei, Pepeni. The ballot box was sealed with 2 seals only. When asked by the observer, the PEB Chairperson replied that he has three ballot boxes and did not have enough seals for each.
• PS 1/329, Russian Federation, Moscow area. As the ballot box had only two places to apply the seals, only two seals were used.
• PS 1/416, Romania, Sibiu. As the ballot box offered to the PS is different from the ones used in the Republic of Moldova, only one seal could be applied, on the door on the top of the box.

Interrupted video recording of electoral procedures for polling station opening or procedures of ballot papers counting – 6 cases.

• PS 27/37 Riscani, Racaria. Camera turned on at 7.03 am.
• PS 27/25 Riscani, Hiliuti. Camera turned on at 6.59 am for a couple of seconds only, to say that the polling station was opened.
• PS 25/045 Orhei, Malaiesti. The video camera was not turned on to shoot the PS opening.
• PS 25/040 Orhei, Furceni. The shooting got interrupted while video monitoring the PS opening procedures, due to some technical errors. The electricity block it was connected to was out of order. The PEB Chairperson looked for another block and is trying to remedy the situation.
• PS 1/415, Romania, Suceava. The electoral office did not have a cable to connect the video camera, that is why the PS preparation was shot with a mobile phone.
• PS 18/9, Floresti, Alexeevca. The video camera was turned on after PEB members sealed the ballot box.

Restricting the free access to polling station for voters with symptoms of acute respiratory disease (body temperature above 37 Celsius degrees, coughing, breathing difficulties, etc.) – 1 case.

• PS 2/45, Balti, Balti town. A voter aged about 58-60 years came to the PS at around 8:35 am with body temperature of 37.4. PEB member did not allow her to enter the polling station. Shortly after, the PEB Chairperson informed her that she had the right to enter and vote. But the voter refused and left.

Organised voter transportation (by buses, passenger vans or other vehicles that wouldn’t normally be around) – 1 cases.

• PS 7/6, Cahul, Valeni. At 8.40 am, a white passenger van with registration number BZJ 278 stopped at a distance of about 50 m from the PS and about 15 persons got off. The passenger van had neither a note saying it was transporting passengers, not any sign of public transportation, nor yellow registration plates.

Deficient operation of SAIS “Elections” (suspended functionalities; situations when SAIS “Elections” states that the voted had voted, but the latter claims he had not) – 4 cases.

• PS 01/078, Chisinau, Buiucani. SAIS “Elections” had some technical deficiencies and it was out of order from 07.08 am to 07.39 am.
• PS 01/223, Chisinau, Riscani. One of the two computers of the polling station could not be connected to SAIS “Elections”. At 07.40 am, PEB Chairperson called for Moldtelecom specialists, but the problem has not been solved yet.
• PS 01/125, Chisinau, Center. SAIS “Elections” was out of order from 7.00 am to 7.30 am. PEB Chairperson called for IT experts and the problem was solved.
• PS 1/339, Russian Federation, Surgut Hanti-Mansiisk. In spite of the presence of SAIS “Elections” operators and functional technical devices (computers), SAIS “Elections” had been out of order until 7:52 am (Russian Federation time).

Deficiencies in lists of voters (gaps between addresses; deceased voters; signatures instead of other people) – 1 case.

• PS 01/092, Chisinau, Buiucani. A voter who has recently changed the residence was not on the main list of voters. The voter was not allowed to vote on additional list, though he presented his ID card which confirmed his domicile within the area of the respective polling station.

Taking pictures of the ballot papers, other violations of the secret of vote (submitting the ID card with the vote on it, inappropriate location of voting booths so that voter’s option can be seen etc.) – 1 case.

• PS 01/223, Chisinau, Riscani. One voter took a picture of the ballot paper. This was noticed by PEB Chairperson and members. When asked for explanations, the voter said he had to answer a phone call at that very moment. PEB Chairperson said he would document that case.

Infringement by the electoral officials of COVID-19 protection and prevention measures – 4 case.

• PS 18/026, Floresti, Cunicea. The list with temperature measurements was prepared after PS opening, at 8:40. PEB Chairperson filled in the listed, without taking the temperature of PEB members.
• PS 18/23, Floresti, Cuhureștii de Sus. Failure to ensure the social distance between PEB members, and the PEB Chairperson does not wear a face mask. In addition, the observer’s body temperature was not measured when he arrived to the PS. The PS was opened at 06.55 am.
• PS 18/9, Floresti, Alexeevca. PEB members did not have face shields and did not wear correctly face masks.
• PS 18/54, Floresti, Radulenii Vechi. The thermometer was not operating correctly. When asked by observers, PEB members chanced the thermometer.

Other – 5 cases

• PS 4/14, Anenii Noi, Todirești. The electricity went out. Half of the village is out of electricity. PEB Chairperson has reported the situation, it has not been solved yet.
• PS 32/21 Stefan Voda, Popeasca. The PS opening protocol states 3 voting booths, but in reality there are only 2 voting booths.
• PS 18/002, Floresti, Floresti. Before PS opening, 2699 voters were declared to be on the main lists of voters. After PS opening, PEB Chairperson stated she had been phoned by CEC representatives, asking to remove 19 voters who had been issued voting right certificates.
• PS 37/3, Transnistrian region, Anenii Noi. At 08:07 am, a voter made a note with his pen on the ballot paper and that is why he asked for another ballot paper. But PEB members refused to give him another ballot paper, hence the voter applied the “Voted” seal on the ballot paper with the notes made by pen. After this case, the PEB Chairperson explained to PEB members that they were obliged to give another ballot paper, if requested by voter.
• PS 01/092, Chisinau, Buiucani. The polling station opening protocol was drafter with a delay, at 7.11 am. Three voters had already voted by than.

The press release is developed as part of the Observation Mission for the Elections of the President of the Republic of Moldova on 1 November 2020 is conducted by Promo-LEX Association with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) via the ‘Democracy, Transparency and Accountability’ Program, the Good Governance Department of Soros Foundation-Moldova under ‘Monitoring the Presidential Elections of 1 November 2020’ Project, and the Council of Europe under ‘Support for civic observation of 2020 Presidential Election in polling stations abroad’. ‘Hate speech’ component is supported by Justice and Human Rights Department of Soros Foundation-Moldova under ‘Consolidation of a platform for the development of activism and education in the area of human rights in Moldova – stage IV’ Project.

The opinions set out in the public reports and press releases of Promo-LEX OM are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of funders or partners. The content of this report can be subject to editing.

If there are any discrepancies between the text in Romanian and its translation, the provisions formulated in Romanian shall prevail.

For more details, please contact:

Inga Stegarescu, Communication Officer of Promo-LEX Observation Mission for the Presidential Election in the Republic of Moldova of 1 November 2020: GSM 069269684,

e-mail: [email protected]