Alegeri parlamentare 2025

Votes cast for Greater Moldova Party declared invalid

All votes accumulated by the Political Party Greater Moldova so far have been declared invalid, including those entered into the automated system following the closure of certain polling stations. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) adopted a decision to this end, following the Court of Appeal's ruling, which upheld the electoral authority's decision to remove the party from the electoral race.

The CEC deputy president, Pavel Postica, said that, although the law stipulates in such cases the application of the 'Withdrawn' stamp next to the electoral competitor removed from the race, in order to avoid jeopardizing the voting process, the CEC notes the impossibility of applying the stamp on the ballots for the Great Moldova Political Party as the voting process is already underway.

At the same time, in order to comply with the Court of Appeal's decision, ballots with the 'voted' stamp next to the Greater Moldova Political Party should be declared invalid at the vote counting stage, including in the Elections automatic system.

Postica noted that the 'Withdrawn' stamp would be applied in forms of the official reports, where the name of the Greater Moldova party appears.

The Centru Court of Appeal rejected, on election day, September 28, the appeal of the political party; hence, the Central Electoral Commission's decision, which removed the Greater Moldova Party from the electoral race, stays in effect.

The Greater Moldova Political Party was excluded from the electoral race on September 26, through a decision adopted by the CEC with six votes in favor and three abstentions. The decision came after reviewing a complaint filed by the European Social Democratic Party, which accused the entity of funding from abroad and cooperation with fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor.

Thus, based on acts issued by law enforcement institutions, the involvement of the political party was invoked in: using undeclared funds; using money from abroad for the electoral campaign; electoral corruption; participating in a camouflaged electoral bloc through associations and voting endorsements promoted by Ilan Shor and the Victory Bloc, previously removed from the race and with limited activity; involvement of the Church (Metropolitan See of Moldova) in the electoral campaign; massive influence of electoral rights; direct aid from the Russian Federation.