Moldovan electoral authority initiates eight contraventional suit for illegal financing at elections in Gagauz Autonomy

Chisinau, 16 May /MOLDPRES/ - The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) today informed that it had initiated eight contraventional suits on the deeds of illegal financing of electoral contenders, who received donations from private people, with the exceeding of the maximal ceiling established by the law, at the elections held in the Autonomous Administrative Unit (UTA) of Gagauzia.  

According to CEC, the Central Electoral Council of UTA Gagauzia did not establish in the regulation which is the maximal ceiling of the donations collected in cash by the electoral contenders, although the region is managed under the Constitution of Moldova.

„Thus, verifying the totalization reports on the financing of the electoral campaign, published on the webpage by the central electoral council of Gagauzia, the Central Electoral Commission found out more donations on behalf of private people, with the exceeding of the maximal ceiling established by the law, amounting to 11,700 lei (about 560 euros), established for the donations in cash, as follows: Nicolae Dudoglo – donations on behalf of three people, with an exceeding in overall amount of 59,090 lei; Grigore Uzun – donations on behalf of seven persons, with an exceeding worth 184,800 lei in all; Mihail Formuzal -  donations on behalf of two persons, worth an exceeding worth 18,600 lei; Victor Petrov – donations on behalf of 21 people, with an exceeding amounting to 436,800 lei in all; Dmitrii Croitor – donations on behalf five people, with an exceeding worth 102,100 lei in all; Gheorghii Pavlioglo – donations on behalf of two persons, with an exceeding worth 15,600 lei in all; Evghenia Gutul (Shor Political Party) – donations on behalf of 65 people, with an exceeding amounting to 458,800 lei in all; Serghei Cimpoies – donations on behalf of one person, with an exceeding worth 148,300 lei in all,’’ reads a press release by CEC.        

According to the quoted source, on 5 May 2023, the Central Electoral Commission notified the office of the central electoral council (CEC) of Gagauzia, in order to consider the deeds described, which yet, has not undertaken any action in this respect. ‘’Therefor, the inaction of the leaders of CEC Gagauzia, which have the capacity of official examiners which ensure the collection of reports on the financial management and hold, from the first source, information on possible infringements of the legislation, led to the committing of similar infringements also in the runoff of the ballot for the office of Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia. Thus, CEC additionally found out donations made by private people, with the exceeding of the ceilings for donations in cash for the contenders Evghenia Gutul and Grigorii Uzun,’’ the communique also reads.     

Under the Contraventional Code, given that Gagauzia’s CEC has not taken any action, the official examiners of the Central Electoral Commission intervened through the finding out and registration of those eight contraventions on the deeds provided for in the Article 483, paragraph(1) from the Contraventional Code. Each of those 106 donors, who are suspected of the illegal financing, through the exceeding of the ceiling of the donations in cash, is liable to responsibility.   

Under the Contraventional Code, the illegal financing of the political parties, initiative groups, electoral contenders or participants in the referendum by private people, through the exceeding of the ceilings established by the law, is banned. The violation of the concerned norm is sanctioned with fine worth from 30 to 90 conventional units, imposed to private person or with fine worth from 180 to 300 conventional units, imposed to person holding leadership office.