Цитаты
Надежда, в ее глубинном и сильнейшем смысле, - это не просто радость от того, что дела идут хорошо; это способность трудиться ради какой-то цели лишь потому, что эта цель добра и прекрасна, а не потому, что она дает шансы на успех. Вацлав Гавел |
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Statement in connection with completion of presidential election in TMR
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 The new president appeared in Transdniestrian Moldavian republic. The republican Central Election Committee (CEC) officially announced Yevgeny Shevchuk the winner of the election second round – more than 70% of TMR residents gave their votes for him while his competitor Anatoly Kaminsky got support of 20% of voters.
Second round of presidential election that took place on December 25 was waited impatiently by the republic population.
It should be reminded that these were ex-speaker of local parliament Yevgeny Shevchuk who collected 38,55% of votes in first round and chairman of the Supreme Soviet of unrecognized republic Anatoly Kaminsky for whom 26,3% of electors voted that passed into the second round.
The intrigue of election was that the effective president of the republic Igor Smirnov who collected 24,66% remained overboard. As it was expected I. Smirnov addressed the CEC and the court with demand to cancel the results noting infringements on the part of competitors. But on December 16 the CEC rejected I. Smirnov’s complaint and recognized the results of the first round.
Moscow bureau for human rights already noted numerous infringements during election. But these infringements were recorded right by I. Smirnov’s competitors who accused him of using the administrative resource. Thus, lieutenant colonel of Ministry of home affairs, head of department for combat against illegal drugs turnover Gennady Kuzmichev being the fellow-fighter of Yevgeny Shevchuk was suddenly arrested. Kuzmichev who is characterized by fellow-fighters as a decent and honest officer was charged with doubtful accusation of “rendering pressure upon witnesses” within the case of another high-ranking employee of Ministry of home affairs. Activists of “Renewal” party headed by Anatoly Kaminsky complained that the party was deliberately calumniated in mass media.
Accusations concerning infringements of pre-election agitation on the part of the effective president came continuously up to the day of first round election. Thus, I. Smirnov’s followers are accused of breaches of law on “silence day” – on that day, December 10, advertisement of republican newspaper “Motherland” was broadcast on TV with the slogan “Motherland can be sold” – this newspaper agitated for I. Smirnov during the whole period of election campaign (“Republic can’t be sold” was the principal Smirnov’s slogan during the election).
It was also noted that statement of Igor Smirnov about “most scandalous and dirty” election campaign in history of Transdniestria was quoted in evening analytic program “Observer” and that such statement might be estimated as agitation materials in I. Smirnov’s favor.
I. Smirnov was also accused of breach of regulations for election campaign straight on the election day when the same advertisement of republican newspaper “Motherland” and address of I. Smirnov to electors with appeal to take part in election were broadcast. Obviously biased report in Russian, Moldavian and Ukrainian was also shown about history of election in Transdniestrian republic where I. Smirnov was shown to the best advantage according to his opponents.
In his turn I. Smirnov accused CEC and his competitors of infringements. Moreover pro-presidential movement “People’s union” created on the eve of election called upon I. Smirnov to introducing the state of emergency in Transdniestria and disbanding CEC. It was announced at extraordinary congress of the movement about “numerous breaches of legislation during both the election campaign and voting on December 11 including interference into home affairs of TMR on the part of foreign officials”. In particular “enormous number of electors who voted according to additional lists – about 23 thousand people” was noted, and this is about 10% of all the voters. It is characteristic at the same time that one of candidates who did not pass into the second round, Dmitry Soin, stated that no serious infringements during election in the republic were recorded. No statements concerning breaches came from observers either.
Certainly I. Smirnov who led the republic for many years did not want to lose his power. Judging by statements of his followers, very dangerous situation could be formed in Transdniestrian Moldavian republic before the second round threatening with mass breaches of the peace.
International observers from Russia, South Ossetia, Moldavia and other countries observed the election in second round. According to reports of observers from the State Duma of RF, in general the election passed in an organized way and democratically though the observers noted breaches at more than 10 polling stations. Thus, at one of polling stations in Dubossary “considerable number of agitation materials was available in support of one of candidates to presidency” (namely, Ye. Shevchuk) and at another polling station a pattern of filling-in of ballot paper was recorded where the sign in favor of one of aspirants was already put into a special column, and this could be certainly interpreted as infringement. The observers had also several comments concerning sealing of ballot boxes, the process of voting arrangement itself and concerning voting of electors according to additional lists too.
The CEC of TMR itself also noted the facts of breaches, in particular the fact of dissemination of agitation literature and sent an inquiry to the election headquarters of Ye. Shevchuk. But representatives of Ye. Shevchuk stated in response to CEC inquiry that neither election headquarters nor anyone of authorized representatives and canvassers of the candidate were involved into dissemination of agitation literature on the election day. As a result, CEC of Transdniestria considered that this case could deal with false agitation materials; Directorate of home affairs of Tiraspol city was investigating this fact.
At the same time CEC noted that the facts were revealed in A. Kaminsky’s headquarters that could be interpreted as bribery of electors and that office of public prosecutor was examining this situation.
Director of Moscow bureau for human rights Alexander Brod: “Nevertheless the revealed breaches were acknowledged to be not affecting the election results, and Ye. Shevchuk was officially named the winner of the presidential race. He is faced with taking the republic out of lasting economic and social crisis overcoming accumulated distrust of citizens towards the previous authority”. |
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