Access to Voting for Residents of Transnistria Was Complicated 2 Days Before the Elections in Moldova

Two days before the parliamentary elections, Moldova’s Central Election Commission decided to relocate five polling stations intended for voters from Transnistria dozens of kilometers away. This was reported by the independent outlet Most, which covers topics related to Transnistria, according to eurointegration.com.ua. The decision concerns two polling stations in the village of Varnita, as well as stations in the villages of Hagimus, Cocieri and Dorotcaia. This step will make it significantly more difficult for Transnistria residents to get to the polls on Sunday, as the polling stations in Varnita have been moved to the city of Anenii Noi, the polling station in Hagimus to Causeni, and the polling stations in Cocieri and Dorotcaia to Chisinau. It is worth noting that voters from the key Transnistrian cities of Bender and Tiraspol traditionally vote in Varnita: voters were able to reach the polling station by public transport, and queues usually formed at the polling stations. In Cocieri, the closest section to the city of Dubasari was organized, and in Dorotcaia, the closest section to the city of Grigoriopol. The CEC of Moldova stated that the decision was made following reports from the General Inspectorate of Police and the SIS, which pointed to risks in the security zone, “including possible false reports of bombs and other provocations”.