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The campaign for the June 5 local elections has been dynamic and witnessed a large variety of campaigning methods, while the number of election posters placed in unauthorized places decreased significantly, shows the second monitoring report of Promo-Lex Association. At the same time, the observers said there were recorded cases of use of violence, intimidation, electoral present offering, and black PR, Info-Prim Neo reports.

As to the behavior of the local public administration, the Association’s chairman Ion Manole said the local public authorities had a rather balanced behavior and tended to create equal conditions for all the electoral contenders. According to him, the local public authorities’ attitude towards the runners was impartial in most of the cases. In some of the districts, the authorities provided free space for meetings with the voters. However, in Orhei, Cahul, and Criuleni, the areas were given for a tax that varied between 300 and 800 lei.

The Promo-Lex observers reported that many poling places in the rural areas are not outfitted with electronic equipment. The polling places in three settlements are housed by buildings that are in a bad state of repair. In at least four districts, the electoral functionaries had to purchase supplies out of their own pocket. The financial reports in three districts were presented only by independents.

Ion Manole said the electoral rolls were drawn up later than expected. Some of the voters did not have access to the rolls, mainly in the districts of Causeni, Cantemir, Edinet, and Donduseni.

Expert Pavel Postica said the runners this year diversified the electoral activities, which included from door to door activities, public starts of campaign, distribution of electoral materials through mailboxes. But the parties also distributed electoral presents.

Promo-Lex recommends initiating awareness raising campaigns to inform the runners and voters what calm and civilized behavior is so as to avoid cases of physical and psychical violence. Another recommendation is to institute minimum standards as regards the equipment of the offices of electoral bodies.

The Monitoring of the June 5 Local Elections Project implemented by Promo-Lex benefits from technical and financial assistance from the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Source: Info-prim.md