- Title: Moldova presidential election wrecked by polling stations abroad - candidates
- Date: 13th November 2016
- Summary: CHISINAU, MOLDOVA (NOVEMBER 13, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MAIA SANDU, WALKING TO PODIUM TO MAKE STATEMENT ELECTION POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MAIA SANDU, SAYING: "Unfortunately, this election was badly organised. I will remind you that we asked the authorities earlier to raise the number of ballots and especially to open new polling stations in those regions where many citizens of the Republic of Moldova live - in France, Italy, Romania. Our requests were ignored. As a result, polling stations in London, Bologne, Bucharest and Paris ran out of ballots today. Hundreds of people were not able to vote, hundreds of citizens, who travelled a long way, who stood in cold and under the rain, were not able to vote. This situation is unacceptable." CAMERAMEN AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MAIA SANDU, SAYING: "Now we have an important task ahead of us - to keep calm, concentrate on the end of voting by the diaspora and monitor vote counting. We will remain vigilant till the end. I promise you that together we will investigate every violation, every case when people were not able to vote. We will not allow them to steal your vote." SANDU ENDING NEWS CONFERENCE AND LEAVING PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, IGOR DODON, GIVING NEWS CONFERENCE ELECTION POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, IGOR DODON, SAYING: "I know that thousands of people were not able to vote. Probably even tens of thousands. Elderly people were not able to vote because of bad weather, the diaspora were not able to vote because of a shortage of ballots. By the way, we have been warning the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the authorities within several months, we told you after the elections in 2014 and 2010: 'Let's open more polling stations abroad', we told you: 'Let's open more polling stations in Russia'. You did not want to. Now someone from the CEC and the government will have to account for it." ELECTION POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, IGOR DODON, SAYING: "The election is over. People have cast their votes. Let's not stir up the mood in society. Our goal, the goal of the two presidential candidates, is to ensure balance in society. And in this regard, I want to address the other side - regardless of the result, let's call people on being calm. We do not need unrest and provocations, we do not need destabilisation in the society. I believe the first step that must be taken by the losing side is to call people to be calm. And the first step that must be taken by the new president, who was already elected, is to address not only his supporters, but also supporters of the other side. We must calm people down." ELECTION POSTER DODON ENDING NEWS CONFERENCE AND LEAVING
- Embargoed: 28th November 2016 22:26
- Keywords: Moldova president election Maia Sandu Igor Dodon reaction result
- Location: CHISINAU, MOLDOVA
- City: CHISINAU, MOLDOVA
- Country: Moldova
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00158A1I6F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Both of Moldova's presidential candidates, Maia Sandu and Igor Dodon, speaking just after the closure of polling stations on Sunday (November 13), said that the election process lacked proper organisation as many citizens abroad were not able to cast their votes due to a shortage of ballots.
"Unfortunately, this election was badly organised. I will remind you that we asked the authorities earlier to raise the number of ballots and especially to open new polling stations in those regions where many citizens of the Republic of Moldova live - in France, Italy, Romania. Our requests were ignored. As a result, polling stations in London, Bologne, Bucharest and Paris ran out of ballots today. Hundreds of people were not able to vote, hundreds of citizens, who travelled a long way, who stood in cold and under the rain, were not able to vote. This situation is unacceptable," pro-Western candidate Sandu said.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed the shortage of ballots in Bologne, Paris, Moscow, and Bucharest.
Sandu promised to investigate every violation during the election.
Her opponent, pro-Russian Igor Dodon, echoed the same concerns, saying the authorities did not pay attention to his warnings about possible problems caused by the low number of polling stations abroad.
"I know that thousands of people were not able to vote. Probably even tens of thousands. Elderly people were not able to vote because of bad weather, the diaspora were not able to vote because of a shortage of ballots," he said.
With 90 percent of votes counted, online results showed Dodon had won 55.9 percent, and his challenger, Sandu, had 44.1 percent.
Dodon called on Sandu to accept the election results and to help avoid any provocations and tensions among voters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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