The chairwoman of the Republican Party "Heart of Moldova" (“Inima Moldovei”) Irina Vlah calls on the OSCE/ODIHR to deploy observers to this year's parliamentary elections and to the polling stations that will be established abroad. In a letter addressed to the Head of the OSCE Mission to the Republic of Moldova, Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, the politician says that for the Moldovan citizens this will be a guarantee that the elections will not be rigged, IPN reports.
Irina Vlah expressed her sincere gratitude to the organization for the continued support over the years to the Republic of Moldova — both in the process of resolving the Transnistrian issue and in strengthening democracy. According to her, this support has played a vital role in enabling the Republic of Moldova to advance in the pursuit of its strategic objectives.
“As you are well aware, Madam Ambassador, parliamentary elections will be held in the Republic of Moldova in 2025. This is a momentous event for our country, as well as for our international partners, who have repeatedly demonstrated a genuine interest in Moldova’s future,” reads the letter.
“In recent years, the OSCE/ODIHR has consistently deployed election observation missions, whose objective assessments have addressed the most critical aspects of the electoral process. These efforts have significantly strengthened the authority and trust the OSCE enjoys in Moldova.”
Irina Vlah notes that, on the eve of this new electoral cycle, many citizens of the Republic of Moldova look with hope to the work of the OSCE/ODIHR mission, which is expected to operate in the country this year. “I state this with full confidence, as the Republican Party INIMA MOLDOVEI, which I have the honor to lead, maintains close and ongoing engagement with citizens across the country. We are aware of their concerns and expectations,” noted the politician.
According to her, recently, a growing number of citizens have voiced concerns regarding the potential for electoral fraud, particularly at polling stations opened abroad — where effective oversight of the voting process is virtually absent. In this context, the presence of international observers at external voting sites would constitute a meaningful step toward safeguarding the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
“I understand, Madam Ambassador, that OSCE/ODIHR missions traditionally operate within the territory of the host country. Nevertheless, I respectfully request that you convey our appeal to the appropriate decision-makers: namely, to consider, in the case of the Republic of Moldova, the possibility of making an exception by deploying OSCE/ODIHR observers also to polling stations abroad,” Irina Vlah says in the letter.
According to her, such a measure would provide Moldovan citizens with greater assurance that the electoral process will be conducted fairly and without irregularities, and, as a result, this initiative would further strengthen public trust in the OSCE.
