An ad-hoc commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the observation of presidential elections in Moldova is paying a visit to Chisinau on September 26-29 with the aim of assessing the pre-election campaign and the political climate in the country before the October 30 presidential elections, IPN reports.

According to the Parliament’s press service, the agenda of the visit includes meetings with President Nicolae Timofti and Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The delegates will also discuss with members of the Parliament’s commission on foreign affairs and European integration, leaders of political parties and the administration of the Central Election Commission and the Broadcasting Coordination Council.

The delegation includes Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, Stefan Schennach, Meritxell Mateu, Suat Önal, and Lotta Johnsson Fornave. A larger PACE delegation consisting of 21 members will come to Moldova in the immediate period to observe the voting process in the presidential elections.

On September 26-28, the rapporteur of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons Kristin Ørmen Johnsen is making a fact-finding visit to Moldova to examine the Moldovan population dynamics in connection with the compilation of a report entitled “The impact of European population dynamics on migration policies”.