Voters from Transnistrian region are discriminated in exerting their right to vote, Promo-LEX

_article_1237902670The Moldovan citizens from the Transnistrian area are discriminated in exerting their right to vote in comparison with the citizens from other districts of the country, reads the first Report on monitoring the electoral process in the Transnistrian region in the 2009 parliamentary elections, Info-Prim Neo reports.

The report, presented on Tuesday, March 24, is worked out by the Promo-LEX Association, a member of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections – Coalition 2009. Monitoring the electoral process on the Nistru’s left bank from February 10 to March 18, 2009 is done for the first time in the history of elections in Moldova.

Pavel Postica, a lawyer with Promo-LEX, the coordinator of the project, has said that, since the first parliamentary elections in 1994, a slow but continuous growth of the number of people willing to exert their right to vote can be noticed.

On March 3, 2009, the CEC stated that 500 polling stations would open in the region. Then, because of the discord between the Tiraspol regime and the constitutional authorities of Moldova, the CEC adopted a decision on March 10, through which the voters from the region would be able to vote in 10 polling stations to open on the right bank of the Nistru.

The observers signaled the impossibility to make out the electoral lists, because the local public administration in the region is not under the jurisdiction of the constitutional authorities.

The experts also find that the authorities did not take into account the situations of changing residence within the region. “Because of the lack of electoral lists for the Transnistrian citizens, the voters from this territory will not get the certificate enabling them to vote in other polling stations, but in one of those 10 stations near their residences certified by ID cards,” said Ion Manole, the president of the Promo Lex Association.

According to the data Promo-LEX learnt from the Informational Development Ministry, 223,580 Moldovan citizens with the right to vote are registered in the Transnistrian area. Respectively, over 22 thousand voters should come to a single polling station. At the same time, the electoral legislation provides that the number of voters at a polling station should not exceed 3 thousand persons. In addition, the same 10 polling stations where the Transnistrian inhabitants can vote will be available for the inhabitants of the localities close to the region, as Dorotcaia and Cocieri. The most serious problem, according to the report, is linked to those two polling stations in Varnita village. The voters from Bender and Tiraspol, and from many rural localities from Slobozia district will be able to vote at these polling stations, both having the headquarters in the culture house, and the number of voters in these localities is over 100 thousand. The Promo-Lex experts ask whether those two stations will be able to insure the fulfillment of the citizens’ right to vote.

The report shows that the Transnistrian media covered, indirectly, the 2009 parliamentary elections, mostly in a negative context, expressing stances against going to the poll.

“There are practically no electoral activities there. The most active political parties seem to be the Centrist Union, the Liberal Democratic Party and the European Action Movement. Most parties staged no rallies in this area,” Manole added. Promo-LEX recommends the electoral contestants to take non-discriminating stances as to the voters from the localities controlled by the Tiraspol regime. The NGO makes similar recommendations for the international observers and the Central Election Commission.

The project is funded by the Eurasia Foundation, from money offered by the Swedish International Development Agency and USAID.

http://www.info-prim.md/?x=22&y=22205

http://www.publictv.md/ro/Conferinta_de_presa_Procesului_electoral_in_regiunea_transnistreana-25.03.2009

DOC – Report No.1



The abusive and illicit actions of customs bodies’ representatives and illegal administration from Tiraspol have resulted in the sequestration of ballot boxes destined for the polling station of Corjova

_article_1237549310Promo-LEX Association disapproves of the abusive and illicit actions of customs bodies’ representatives and the illegal administration from Tiraspol with regard to the restraint of the freedom of movement and the sequestration of ballot boxes destined for the electoral district of Corjova village, Dubasari district.

On March 19, 2009, at 11 A.M. at the “customs” point neighboring Pohrebea village, Dubasari district, the vehicle transporting the ballot boxes destined for the electoral district No. 5 of Corjova (administrative electoral district No.15 from Dubasari) was stopped. The Mayor of Corjova and the vehicle driver Oleg Cernatu were deprived of their liberty onsite for about four hours at the so-called “customs” point.

Having detected ballot boxes amongst the transported goods destined for the oncoming parliamentary elections, the representatives of this “customs service” demanded that the Mayor pay the value of the transported goods. Upon his refusal to pay these certain sums illegally solicited by illicit institutions, the persons (can be identified) declared that the goods will be sequestrated and a report will be initiated on the driver. The Mayor has insisted upon the return of the vehicle and the ballot boxes in order to avoid this unpleasant situation and also upon the fact that the driver has nothing to do with the ballots, but his words were ignored. As a result the ballot boxes have been sequestrated and a report of alleged “customs” misbehavior was initiated with regards to the driver.

Repeatedly, Promo-LEX Association are presented with various situations proving the abuse on behalf of the illegal bodies’ representatives from the region. The situation in question demonstrates once again the non-constructive and repressive characteristics of the regime. We regret to state that the purpose of the illegalities and the intimidations that took place on March 19, 2009 is the aggravation of the region’s situation before the elections of April 5, 2009. The constitutional electoral bodies announced the establishment of the polling station No.5 in Cojova village and the sequestration of the ballot boxes is the first action taken to intimidate the citizens who would like to exert their constitutional right to vote. We point out that local elections of 3rd and 17th June, 2007 were aborted due to organized violence by numerous persons, representatives of region militia and the occupation of the polling station of Corjova.

Corjova Mayor and the vehicle driver Oleg Cernatu were arrested and held at the territory check point for a long period of time, while the ballot boxes were displayed in the public eye with the purpose of intimidation and warning for all the people crossing the area. Therefore, this was a clear display offered to the region population by the separatist Tiraspol regime that they would not accept civilized conduction of the elections in the security area and the whole region.
On March 17, 2009, Promo-LEX appealed to the representatives of the constitutional authorities and to the Russian Federation to place on the agenda of Moscow discussions, topics regarding the issues and the situation of human rights in the region.
Promo-LEX called upon the signers of the Moldo-Russian Agreement of 1992 to comply with their international commitments and positive responsibilities with regard to the rights of territory people, stating the right of suffrage as major priority for the present moment. We regret to state that the topic has been ignored or at least has had a null result.
In this context, we reiterate insistently the content of the 17th March, 2009 appeal, and in the event of a new meeting between Voronin and Smirnov on March 25, we demand the discussion of the topic with regard to the necessity of the unconditioned respect for the rights of region people, especially the right of suffrage.

At the same time, we ask the constitutional authorities to undertake all the peaceful legal actions to the return the sequestered ballot boxes as soon as possible and to demand from that the Tiraspol regime refrain from any actions restraining the freedom of movement, the right to property and the right of suffrage during the electoral period.
Actions and procedures provided for in the national legislation should be undertaken for the unbiased examination of the case circumstances and the eventual administrative and penal punishment of the persons responsible for the abuse in question.

In the meantime we appeal to all national and international competent bodies to adopt a clear position of condemning the regime for any intimidation or repressive action.

Promo-LEX Association is a member of Civic Coalition for free and fair elections -2009 and monitors the Parliamentary elections in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.

Legal Department
Promo-LEX Association



Right to vote and right to be elected

On March 11th, in “Evrika” lyceum from Ribnita, Promo-LEX Association organized an informative seminar “The right to vote and to be elected”. The seminar was attended by 23 students from elder classes. The aim of the seminar was to inform young people from the Transnistrian region about their right to vote and right to be elected.
Elections are one of the most important tools which citizens can utilise in order to influence decision making processes. Unfortunately, many young people in Moldova, including those from the Transnistrian region do not realize the benefits of these opportunities. The causes are diverse: there are ill informed, not motivated to vote or they just don’t believe in the power of their vote.

Thus, during the seminar the youth was informed about the history and evolution of the right to vote, about the procedure of voting and the provisions of the electoral code of Moldova.
During the discussions, the young people tried to identify the reasons which generate the apathy and indifference towards the political and electoral process for the young generation. In this regard, it was mentioned that young people simply lost hope in a prosperous life. They do not believe in promises, nor believe in their own power to change something within the society. Most young people do not believe in the value of their vote, a fact which is proved by an insignificant youth participation during the elections. Besides many other reasons which generate the young peoples’ indifference, it was also noted the lack of democratic traditions and youth participation in decision-making processes and political life.

Thus, the fact that young people are ill informed, the fact that voting sections are not open in Ribnita, the lack of confidence in the electoral candidates, the indifference towards the political processes and lack of confidence in their voting power have been identified as the basic causes that hinder youth participation in elections.

Within the seminar the participants also discussed the possibilities and potential solutions for solving these problems. The young people concluded that continuous and adequate youth information would be the best solution. They want to be informed about the political life of the country and also get involved in various projects, seminars, conferences where would be discussed the current problems of the Republic of Moldova, and in particular the Transnistrian region problems.

Another solution mentioned by the participants was the civic and patriotic education both in school and other extracurricular activities.
In the end, most of the young people said they would go to vote together with their friends or parents and also will try to convince other young people from their community to do the same. For young people from Ribnita this means to go to the special voting section in Rezina, which will be opened for the Transistrian region inhabitants.
This activity was an apolitical one. The aim of the seminar was to promote the right to vote, informing and motivating young people from the transnistrian region to participate in the elections from April, 5th 2009. Their voice must be heard.

This activity was conducted within the Resources and Development Center for Transnistria with financial support of National Endowment for Democracy.

Natalia Gligor
NGO Department, RDTC
Promo-LEX Association