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• The nongovernmental organisation Youth Centre Piligrim-Demo has opened a hotline for the election of members of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, with the financial support of the U.S. Embassy. Electors and other interested subjects are welcome to consult lawyers by telephone, raise questions regarding organisation and conduct of elections, signal violations and shortcomings from February 21 to March 30. The hotline will be also useful for the general monitoring of elections, as people will be able to signal shortcomings and raise demands throughout the scrutiny. (According to Novosti-Moldova)

• Representatives of E.U. diplomatic missions to Moldova have visited Comrat. According to the press service of the Executive Committee, diplomats have met representatives of parties and socio-political organisations participating in the elections for the legislative body of the autonomy. Diplomats collected facts regarding preparations for elections, election financing issue and access of candidates to mass media. They discussed issues related to preparations for the elections, in particular:
  • CEC chairman CEC Piotr Ivanov reported that 161 candidates have been registered to participate in elections: 81 independent candidates and 80 candidates on behalf of political parties. Ten political groups participate in the electoral campaign, of which 8 parties and two socio-political movements. The CEC has already prepared transparent ballot boxes and it is due to prepare the voter rolls and the model of the ballot paper by February 25;
  • The chairwoman of the public company GRT, Ekaterina Zhekova, has told diplomats the requirements on media coverage of the electoral campaign;
  • The chairperson of the United Gagauzia Movement has signalled the need of allowing regional parties to get registered, noting that they would not undermine the territorial integrity of the country;
  • Comrat city Mayor Nicolai Duduglo has stated that the budget of the autonomy should include funds for the organisation of elections. He hinted that the governor of Gagauzia should focus more on internal problems of the region, in order to consolidate forces;
  • The chairman of the People’s Assembly, Stepan Esir, has also indicated the unsettled election financing problem;
  • Gagauz Governor Mihail Formuzal assured diplomats that the election funding problem will be resolved very soon and the scrutiny will be legally held.
  Foreign diplomats warned after meetings that two problems raise concern, in particular, the inefficient activity of candidates and the lack of funds to organise the elections. As regards free and fair elections, diplomats expressed readiness to support the election monitoring mission.