Government rejected initiative to ban voting with expired passports

The Cabinet of Ministers today gave a negative opinion on the legislative initiative proposing to ban voting with expired passports. Secretary General of Government Artur Mija emphasized that the government categorically rejects any attempt to diminish the voice of Moldovans and will not accept rules that divide people into those who deserve and those who do not deserve the right to vote. According to him, "as long as there is a pro-European government in Chișinău, our diaspora will be able to vote".

The legislative initiative was put forward by a group of deputies from the Communists and Socialists Bloc.


"We are once again being proposed to keep the diaspora away from polling stations and to turn the right to vote into a privilege. We are asked not to treat our citizens equally, who even thousands of kilometers away, contribute to the development of the Republic of Moldova," he said.


Artur Mija said that the government categorically rejects any attempt to diminish the voice of Moldovans and will not accept rules that divide people into those who deserve and those who do not deserve the right to vote. According to him, the authorities will defend the rights of our citizens wherever they are: in the country or in the diaspora, because fundamental rights are not a favor and cannot be violated, limited or turned into political tools.

He added that the right to vote freely does not expire, it is not negotiable. The right to vote is equal for everyone and cannot be restricted through initiatives that violate the principles of the rule of law, Mija emphasized.


"Moldova we are building is a country that treats its citizens equally, not one that imposes barriers or discriminations, and it is our duty to defend democracy and ensure that no one, regardless of political interests, will be able to decide who has the right to express the opinion and who does not. This is not just a negative opinion, it is a firm stance: as long as there is a pro-European government in Chișinău, our diaspora will be able to vote," concluded Artur Mija.


In the context of the opinion approval, Prime Minister Dorin Recean thanked all the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, both those who live at home and those abroad, for actively engaging in the country's political life and supporting the European path of the Republic of Moldova.