The voting time in the Republic of Moldova is by two hours longer than the European average and is not justified, given than the flow of voters is very low during the first hours of the opening of polling stations and before closing. On the other hand, the long voting process creates other difficulties, in particular the tiredness of electoral functionaries, says a study carried out by the Center for Continuous Electoral Training, IPN reports.

The length of the voting process in Moldova is of 14 hours, from 7am until 9pm, being by two hours longer than the European average. The voting process lasts longer in Italy and the UK only. In other countries, it is shorter than 12 hours. The Center for Continuous Electoral Training recommends reducing the voting time by two hours.

The Center suggests three scenarios: opening polling places by two hours later, closing polling places by two hours earlier or opening by one hour later and closing by one our earlier. The study shows that less than 70,000 people voted at the previous elections in the given periods.

An additional argument that voting should last from 7am until 7pm is the fact that the vote count follows the closing of polling stations and this process implies time, concentration and the intellectual effort of electoral functionaries and should be held at an appropriate evening hour.