Moldovan government's secretary general says first priority to have free, fair elections

Chisinau, 12 September /MOLDPRES/ - The state’s institutions will not tolerate the attempts of undermining  the democracy and constitutional order at the ballot due on 5 November 2023 and any attempt to distort the citizens’ vote will be sanctioned. At a news conference, the government’s secretary general, Artur Mija, today referred to the actions undertaken by the cabinet, in order to avoid the rigging of the polls, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.     
„The first priority is for us to have free and fair elections. Therefore, the state’s institutions will strictly watch over the holding of the elections, so that each vote is observed and the democratic process should be consolidated. We will harshly sanction any attempt of stealing the vote, of influencing the elections from abroad and any involvement of dirty money, which can distort the elections and their result. The state must make sure that the citizens’ real will is observed and guaranteed,’’ the government’s secretary general, Artur Mija, said.      
According to the head of the State Chancellery, to coordinate the monitoring of the actions of the central and local public administration, under a decision by the prime minister, an inter-institutional working group was established for ensuring the proper conditions for the good carrying out of the ballot due on 5 November this year.  The group is made up of representatives of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), Intelligence and Security Service, National Statistics Bureau, Public Services Agency, Labour and Social Protection Ministry, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry, Justice Ministry, Education and Research Ministry, Infrastructure and Regional Development Ministry and Economic Development and Digitalization Ministry.           
At two working meetings held so far, the group’s members ruled that the state’s institutions would provide CEC with every needed support for verifying the lawfulness of the financing of the electoral campaigns and the dubious transactions from outside Moldova will be investigated by the competent institutions. At the same time, the local structures of the police will investigate any fraud detected and the General Police Inspectorate will cooperate with representatives of the Central Electoral Commission and the National Motor Transport Agency, in order to prevent the illegal transportation and verify the vehicles. At the same time, the government will not allow the use of administrative sources and will not allow the involvement of civil servants in the electoral campaign during their time at work.         
The government’s secretary general urged the citizens to be informed only from official sources, in the context of the misinformation and forged news which appears in the public space, as well as to notify the competent authorities about any potential situation of rigging the polls, electoral bribe or corrupting voters.  
The electoral campaign will start on 6 October this year and the general local elections will be held in Moldova on 5 November 2023.  
Photo: Government