Promo-LEX observers reported about a thousand incidents during parliamentary voting

Promo-LEX Observation Mission for the parliamentary elections on September 28 reported about a thousand incidents regarding the conduct of the voting process. The data were presented today at a press conference by the head of the Promo-LEX Mission, Nicolae Panfil.

According to the report, most incidents relate to photographing ballots and other violations of voting secrecy (273 cases), deficiencies in electoral lists (128 cases), interruption of the filming process of voting procedures and counting ballots (120 cases), unjustified presence of unauthorized individuals near polling stations (73 cases), and unjustified group voting (68 cases).

Additionally, in 93 cases, polling stations opened earlier or later than 7:00 AM, and in 27 cases, they closed later or earlier than 9:00 PM.

Observers also reported 24 cases where ballot boxes were not properly sealed, 20 cases of filming the voting process by representatives of electoral competitors, 16 cases of organized voter transportation, 15 cases of the presence of advertising materials, 18 cases of electoral agitation, and nine cases of voting with non-compliant documents.

Meanwhile, six incidents were documented regarding rumors or even attempts to offer money in exchange for votes, and in 21 cases, bomb threats were reported, or the voting process was suspended.


“The election day proceeded calmly in most polling stations, without any particular incidents. The elections were usual, proceeded quite calmly, and without certain excesses,” said Nicolae Panfil.


The Promo-LEX Mission also presented today the preliminary results of the rapid vote count. Nicolae Panfil asserted that the obtained data reveal “certain errors,” however, these “most likely” will not affect the final voting results.

For election day, Promo-LEX delegated one short-term observer to 409 polling stations, selected based on a sample established by a sociological company. Additionally, in all 12 polling stations where voters from the Transnistrian region exercise their right to vote, a static observer was assigned.

Special attention was given to polling stations abroad, where 129 static observers were deployed. Besides static observers, Promo-LEX dispatched 191 mobile teams to monitor the electoral process in polling stations that are not included in the sample.