Sandu: Some CEC Members Are Under Pressure not to Increase the Number of Polling Stations

Maia Sandu argues that "some politicians are putting pressure on CEC members not to increase the number of polling stations" to be opened abroad for early parliamentary elections in July. The head of state said this on Thursday, June 17, on the air of the InPROfunzime program on ProTV, zdg.md reports. According to President Sandu, the CEC members "have no reason not to create the number of polling stations proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI)." "Obviously, we need to improve the legal framework, because there are gaps in it that certain people or political forces influencing state institutions try to use in their own interests in order to prevent citizens from voting in the diaspora or prevent their sufficient participation. We need quality people in these institutions who are responsible for organizing elections. If all CEC members had good and correct intentions, and the existing legal framework would allow everything to happen correctly. We have MFAEI information and the host countries' ability to organize these polling stations, we also have the government's ability to finance the opening of these polling stations. So all that was needed was good intentions and justice on the part of the CEC members. There is no reason not to create the number of polling stations proposed by the MFAEI, especially since we have a registration system and people have registered. As far as I understand, some CEC members are under pressure from some politicians not to increase the number of polling stations. We have other information, but to find proof is more difficult. Everyone understands what is happening, it is understandable why we are having this debate about the opening of polling stations. There were few of them last year, and it is clear that this year we need more polling stations. Both those who are at home and those who have left are citizens of the Republic of Moldova," President Sandu said.