Promo-LEX Association published the first Report on the Monitoring of the 2015 General Local Elections, launching simultaneously the Monitoring Effort for the June elections.
The report presented during a press conference covers the period of 3-29 April 2015, contains the findings of Promo-LEX observers and an analysis of the amendments made to the legal and regulatory framework, and reveals the subjects that will constitute the priorities of the Monitoring Effort.
Though the pre-election period was marked by uncertainties related to the date of the general local elections and amendments made to the Electoral Code, the Parliament set the elections date in compliance with the legal provisions. “In their publicly debated arguments, political leaders also referred to the need for a territorial-administrative reform; in this context we remind that at the beginning of the electoral period the Republic of Moldova still had 266 settlements with less than 1500 inhabitants, where constituencies will be established, thus spending money from the state budget”, stated Pavel Postica, head of Promo-LEX Monitoring Effort.
As a result of the recommendations made by Promo-LEX, the Parliament partially implemented the recommendation on the determination of an uniform and constant formula to calculate the upper ceiling for the funds that can be transferred into the electoral fund. By using the new formula, the ceiling has increased significantly, being twice higher than the one established for the previous elections of 5 June 2011.
Promo-LEX Monitoring Effort recommends: For the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova: to amend the Electoral Code and establish a single date for the general local elections; to implement the Law on the Territorial-Administrative Organisation and reorganize first the level-one local public authorities that have less than 1500 inhabitants. For the Central Electoral Commission: to establish a single financial ceiling for all election candidates, including political parties at the level of constituency where the elections take place, and require that expenses be broken down by constituencies in the financial statements of the election candidates delegated by parties and electoral blocks.
Besides monitoring the Electoral Campaign, for the 2015 elections Promo-LEX Association will also conduct a Civic and Electoral Education Campaign. “IEȘI la VOT!” (“COME TO VOTE!”) Campaign aims at promoting informed and conscious voting among the electorate. Civic education activities will be carried out in at least 28 rural and urban settlements throughout the whole Republic of Moldova (except for the Transnistrian region).
Last but not least, during May-June 2015, Promo-LEX will organize a series of Public Electoral Debates in at least 10 settlements with the goal to promote equitable, balanced and impartial activities of electoral education. The electoral education activities aim at promoting freedom of expression and political pluralism during elections.
We remind that the Monitoring Effort aims at informing the population about the conduct of the electoral campaign, at enhancing people’s trust in the electoral process, and at ensuring free and correct elections, according to the international standards and national law. Promo-LEX is still the only Non-Government Organization in the country that undertakes the largest monitoring effort, delegating over 1000 observers in all settlements of the country.
The electronic version of the Report here.
The Monitoring Effort of the 2015 General Local Elections is supported financially by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Council of Europe (CoE) and technical assistance provided by the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI). The opinions presented in the public reports of Promo-LEX belong to authors and do not necessarily reflect the donors’ view.
For additional information please contact: Lilia Duca, PR manager of the Monitoring Effort of the 2015 General Local Elections, Tel: 0 (22) 49 26 84, GSM: (+373) 68 29 46 92, E-mail: [email protected]