Moldova’s Central Election Commission is proposing to open 234 polling stations abroad for the presidential elections this fall. The Central Election Commission made this decision at a meeting held last weekend. Now it is up to the government.
The largest number of sites is proposed to be opened in Italy – 60. Next in line are Germany (26), France (20), Great Britain (17), the USA (16), Romania (16), Spain (11), Ireland (10). In other countries – from one to six sites. So, in Russia, where one of the largest Moldovan diasporas lives (according to official data – about 200 thousand people, according to unofficial data – twice as many), there will be only 5 of them.
Initially, it was suggested that there would be between 17 and 29 polling stations in the Russian Federation. However, the Commission later changed its decision, citing “deteriorating security levels.”
“The security situation in Russia has deteriorated significantly during 2024. Taking into account these risks, the organization of elections in Russia must be carried out with extreme caution and the locations for polling stations must be chosen taking into account air defence and the security of public order.” – the CCA noted.
For citizens of the Republic of Moldova living in Transnistria within the administrative border of the region (in settlements under Moldovan jurisdiction), it is proposed to use 30 polling stations.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs, within its powers, will take all necessary measures to ensure public order in the areas where polling stations will be located. In order to ensure the security of the voting process, the CEC calls on national and international observers, as well as the Moldovan delegation to the Joint Control Commission (JCC, the joint management body of the peacekeeping operation in the Dniester), to monitor the peaceful conduct of the elections.” – the CCA said in a statement.
In the 2020 presidential election, 42 polling stations were opened for residents of Transnistria on the right bank of the Dniester, and in the 2021 parliamentary elections – 44, according to the latest data from the State Register of Voters of the Republic of Moldova, published in. As of early September, there are a total of 3,300,790 voters in Moldova, of which 2,740,172 live on the right bank of the Dniester and 274,718 people live in Transnistria (the rest are abroad).
As reported EADaily In March of this year, during the Russian presidential elections, Chisinau agreed to open a single polling station on the territory of the embassy (if it could, it would have banned it too). However, the Russian Foreign Ministry organized 6 additional polling stations in Transnistria, where about 250,000 Russians live. In response, Moldova expelled a Russian diplomat. On the day of the vote, the Russian embassy was attacked with Molotov cocktails, and in Tiraspol, a helicopter was blown up as a result of an attack by UAVs on one of the military units.
