Irregularities mar first part of general elections day

A series of irregularities were signaled during the voting process across the country in the first part of Sunday, when Romania elects its new parliament. The Pro Democratia Association, a local NGO, and other sources have noted cases of electoral bribery, multiple votes cast by one person, and calls and rumors aimed at keeping people at home as analysts have shown one party with mostly elderly supporters would gain from a low turnout.

Observers for the Pro Democratia Association speak of a high incidence of electoral bribery in the first part of the voting day. In Navodari, Constanta county, observers say people are carried to voting stations by bus and are promised 100 Ron as compensations if voting a certain candidate. A similar case was signaled in a village in Vrancea, eastern Romania.

Other irregularities signaled by Pro Democratia:

• distribution of alcoholic drinks in voting sections
• people voting with several ballots
• stamps disappearing from voting sections
• observers blocked from entering voting sections
• continuing electoral campaign during the voting day
• irregularities with electoral lists

Press agencies, parties and other sources have signalled various other irregularities such as:

• one man voting in the name of his wife
• one voting sections operating for several hours with unsealed ballot boxes
• the final papers attesting the results of the vote were signed at a voting station in Targu Mures as early as the first hours in the morning
• People in Ploiesti, north of Bucharest were „informed” by phone that stamps were allegedly stolen and voting sections were on fire and that their homes might be broken in so that they’d better stay home and not vote
• Campaigners for a party accused of distributing „gifts” among potential voters in Bucharest