Moldovans living abroad demand that their right to vote is respec

February 11, 2009

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Representatives of associations and communities of Moldovans permanently or temporarily residing abroad ask the Moldovan authorities to insure their right to vote, which is guaranteed by the Constitution. In an open letter they ask the authorities to open multiple polling stations where communities of Moldovan citizens are concentrated.

“Official and unofficial statistics suggest that today, approximately five hundred thousand to one million citizens of the Republic of Moldova reside abroad. Contrastingly, in the parliamentary elections of 2001, only 3,806 citizens voted outside of the country, while in 2005, just 10,018 cast their ballots at 23 electoral locations at embassies and consulates of Moldova,” the letter says.

According to the signatories, the main cause of the low voter turnout abroad is the small number or absence of polling stations, especially in the countries where Moldova does not have embassies or consulates such as Canada, Ireland and Spain. They call on the Parliament and the political parties represented in the Parliament to amend the electoral legislation so as to allow voting by Internet or mail ballots.

“We would like to take part in the election of the new legislative that would represent us, the ones who have decided to go abroad for employment or education. Many of us maintain a strong relationship and genuine interest in the events happening in the Republic of Moldova. On an annual basis, the citizens of Moldova abroad transfer over one billion US dollars back home, contributing to improving economic indexes, achieving a balanced budget, and maintaining the purchasing power of the Moldovan leu,” the letter reads.

The letter was signed by representatives of the Community of Bessarabian Romanians in the U.S., the Italy-Moldova Institute for Cooperation and Development, the Association of Moldovan Community in Ireland. Fratia Association in Portugal, Moldova for Democracy and Development Foundation, Moldova Foundation in the U.S. etc