Statement of the Civic Movement “Building Trust” on the Draft Amendments to the Electoral Code

📢 ELECTORAL RULES MUST BE CLEAR AND FAIR FOR EVERYONE

The Civic Movement “Building Trust” has analysed the draft amendments to the Electoral Code. We support the modernisation of electoral legislation, transparency in campaign financing and measures that facilitate participation in elections. At the same time, we believe that the proposed amendments raise several issues that require serious public debate.

Our main concerns include:

🔹 the introduction of vague concepts that may affect a person’s right to stand for election;

🔹 the risk that public support for an independent candidate could be interpreted as coordination or unlawful support;

🔹 the extension of certain electoral sanctions to up to 4 years, which in practice may amount to exclusion from an entire electoral cycle;

🔹 the expansion of the powers of the Central Electoral Commission, including over certain matters which, in our view, should be established directly by law;

🔹 the absence of sufficiently clear safeguards regarding postal voting, data protection and the traceability of the process;

🔹 fundamental changes to the electoral system in ATU Gagauzia, which should be discussed separately and with the genuine participation of communities from the autonomy;

🔹 the risk of restricting access to voting for citizens from the left bank of the Dniester by relying predominantly on past electoral participation;

🔹 the fact that a number of important ODIHR recommendations remain unaddressed.

The Civic Movement “Building Trust” is not calling for the reform to be halted. We are calling for fundamental changes to be properly justified, separated where necessary, and subject to genuine consultation with political parties, civil society, experts, electoral authorities, the media and representatives of the Gagauz autonomy.

The Electoral Code belongs neither to the majority nor to the opposition. The rules must provide the same guarantees to everyone, regardless of who governs today and who runs for office tomorrow.