​TRANSNISTRIA INTRODUCES CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ELECTION RIGGING

Obstruction of the free execution of citizens’ election right, influence in whatever form on the voters’ will expression, including coercion into voting for a concrete candidate, the demand to confirm voting results with photograph or video equipment, and obstruction of the electoral commissions’ work shall be punished in Transnistria with criminal responsibility as per the amendments to the legislation adopted by the Transnistrian supreme soviet [parliament] last week and already promulgated by president Yevgeny Shevchuk two weeks before the approaching presidential election due on December 11.

In his traditional address to residents of Transnistria, which Shevchuk has been making regularly on the television and radio every Friday evening lately, he stressed that the punishments are going to be very severe – up to imprisonment.

Besides this, criminal responsibility has been seriously strengthened for law breaching by election commission members. For falsifications in any form – be this a knowingly incorrect drawing up of election protocols, replacement of valid ballot-papers with fakes and so on – the law now provides for imprisonments of 7 to 15 years.

Shevchuk called on the law enforcement and the judiciary to ensure election transparency, warning that the big capital in pursuit of super-profits is able to commit any crime, including indeed election rigging.

As already reported by Infotag, the breakaway Transnistrian region is going through an unprecedented struggle for the presidential post. For the first time ever, it is being contested by as many as 7 candidates, but the main struggle is between Yevgeny Shevchuk, who is seeking re-election for a second term of office, and Transnistrian supreme soviet speaker Vadim Krasnoselsky. Shevchuk is accusing Krasnoselsky of protecting the interests of the big capital, in particular the almighty Sheriff Holding, while the supreme soviet chairman accuses the incumbent president of major embezzlements and driving the republic to an economic crisis.