CIVIL SOCIETY EXPERTS BELIEVE MAYORAL ELECTION RESULTS IN CHISINAU MAY BE ANNULLED

There exists quite a real risk that the results of the May 20 snap mayoral election in Chisinau may be declared void, believe Moldovan civil society experts.

Stefan Gligor of the Center for Policies and Reforms (CPR) said at a news conference on Thursday that on May 11 a group of civil society activists lodged an inquiry with the Chisinau Constituency Election Council asking for an access to the lists of citizens’ signatures collected in support of de-jure independent candidate Silvia Radu. The legitimacy of filling in those lists were subjected to strong doubt from the very beginning because those signatures were raised with a breathtaking swiftness – just in matter of a few days. However, the Council denied access to the lists for the society activists – “for reason of citizens’ personal data protection”, was its explanation.

Expert Valeriu Pasa of WatchDog.MD disagreed with the Council, and claimed that a free access to signature lists is citizens’ legal right.

“If the Constituency Council is defending Radu’s signatures so fiercely, then it really has something to conceal. I had a happy change to cast a glance on two such lists, and they were filled in by one-half with one and the same hand”, stated Pasa.

“If only the authorities dislike the voting results in Chisinau, these lists with phony signatures will immediately emerge to the scene, the election results will be annulled because one of the candidates was running unlawfully, but there will be no time for the organization of a mew mayoral election because there remains less than one year to the ordinary parliamentary election. Therefore, Silvia Radu will resume performing her duties of Chisinau Acting Mayor”, explained the expert.

Political scientist Victor Ciobanu is convinced that this mayoral election in Chisinau has been fixed yet long before the election campaign start. In his words, the authorities have organized two failure-free scenarios: Silvia Radu wins either thanks to voting or thanks to the machinations with the signature lists.

“So, the outcome of the May 20 voting is known even now, and there is only one question remaining: how far are the incumbent authorities ready to go?” said the expert.