ELECTION RECOUNT, VOTER LIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHISINAU 000317 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/UMB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM MD SUBJECT: ELECTION RECOUNT, VOTER LIST FRAUD, VORONIN OFFERS AMNESTY FOR DEMONSTRATORS Q April 16 Classified by Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: A comprehensive recount of ballots cast in Moldova's parliamentary elections began on April 15. As of late afternoon April 16 results were still being tallied, and final results may be announced either on April 17 or after the (Easter) weekend. Leaders of the three opposition parties that won seats in parliament, who were given the opportunity to review the voter lists, held a press conference on April 15 in which they presented evidence of many thousands of cases of irregularities in the voter lists. The opposition parties, the international community, domestic bloggers, and the human rights world have all been speaking out against reports of excess use of force against the people arrested in connection with the violence that took place during the April 7 protest demonstration. In a step towards national reconciliation President Voronin announced an amnesty for those detained in connection with the demonstrations (with the exception of "recidivists.") End Summary CEC Recount Results -------------- ¶2. (C) A comprehensive ballot recount began on Wednesday, April 15, with polling stations recounting from scratch the ballots cast on April 5. According to the CEC, early in the morning on April 15, armed police teams delivered the ballot papers from local courts to polling stations. Ballots were re-counted and then taken to the district electoral commissions (DEC). Though the DECs were required to deliver the protocols to the Central Election Commission in Chisinau by the night of April 15 (or not later than early morning on April 16) as of late afternoon on April 16 there were still 8 more districts yet to report. Some ballots were being recounted in the presence of OSCE observers who were accredited for the elections, though without the massive observer presence available on Election Day. No recounting is under way at those 33 polling stations that were opened at Moldovan diplomatic missions abroad. The CEC announced that the results of the recount would likely be made public on Friday, but some doubt remains about whether they can finish by April 17. The upcoming weekend (April 18-19) will be Easter, and the GOM may wait until after the weekend to announce the results. Opposition Charges Voter List Fraud -------------- ¶3. (C) The opposition leaders gave a press conference on April 15 announcing that they had been systematically reviewing electoral lists over the allotted four days, working with local electoral boards. On April 15, the three opposition leaders of PL, PLDM, and AMN held a press conference to discuss their findings to date. They said that they had access to 95 percent of the voter lists, but were not given the lists for part of Chisinau municipality. The Appeals Court ruled that it is illegal to make copies of voters lists, but this decision came after the opposition had already copied the majority of the lists. Over the last few days these parties have been diligently verifying voter lists in an attempt to finish the work before the Easter holiday. The opposition claims that it has uncovered thousands of examples of fraudulent voting, but says that this is CHISINAU 00000317 002 OF 003 only the tip of the iceberg, as they still have many more lists to copy. ¶4. (C) From their work so far, in Chisinau alone, the opposition says it found 5,166 people who voted multiple times and an additional 3,280 votes that they claim were fraudulent because multiple voters used the same identity card number. Out of three raions checked, 1600 had voted with no identity card. Urechean held up a copy of a voter list with one column under which names were clearly marked on one side and a blank column under which identity card numbers should have been written but were absent. Furthermore, 1500 allegedly voted illegally with improper identity documents, such as a driver's license. An identity card is the only permissible form of identification, with one exception: the elderly can use their Soviet passport. There were also 1000 falsified signatures and several thousands of deceased voters on the lists. The three leaders believe that between 10-30% of the total votes were forged. ¶5. (C) The opposition plans to request that the CEC extend the date the Constitutional Court must validate the election. In an April 16 statement, the CEC rejected all accusations regarding the opposition leader's claims that they were denied access to voter lists. The CEC stresses that the three parties checked 90 percent of the lists. As to the Court of Appeals' interdiction to copy the lists, the CEC said that the parties should have completed their work by the time the sentence was pronounced by the court and, therefore, this respective decision would not have affected their ability to scan the lists. Human Rights Abuses Spark Vocal Criticism -------------- ¶6. (C) Reports of excess use of force in the detention centers have sparked much criticism of the GOM. Chisinau Mayor and Liberal Party Leader Dorin Chirtoaca sent out several e-mail reports with graphic pictures of bruised bodies, broken bones and the two known deceased. These reports have been rapidly disseminated around the world. The opposition parties, the international community, domestic bloggers, and the human rights world have all been speaking out forcefully against excessive use of force against the people arrested in connection with the violence that took place during the April 7 protest demonstration. Voronin offers Amnesty to Protesters -------------- ¶7. (C) In a speech the evening of April 15, President Voronin announced an amnesty for those arrested in connection with the April 7 protests. He stated all those arrested would be released, but he added that "the recidivists who took advantage of a difficult political situation" will remain in detention. Observers report that Voronin's style in this speech was significantly different from previous speeches, as his tone was milder and more conciliatory, which suggest that Voronin was trying to reconcile society. ¶8. (C) However Voronin's attempts at national reconciliation came at the expense of relations with Romania. Some eighty percent of Voronin's speech was dedicated to accusing Bucharest of interfering in Moldova's domestic affairs by inciting enmity between ethnic groups in Moldova. CHISINAU 00000317 003 OF 003 He said that Bucharest must give up its desire for a "Great Romania" and appealed to the EU to examine Basescu's statements and behavior in relation to Moldova. He suggested that Romania should sign the "Basic and Border Treaties" as a way to restore bilateral relations between Moldova and Romania. Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) The offer of amnesty will go a long way in alleviating the tense after-shocks of last week's events and subsequent arrests and detentions. It looks like Voronin is now trying to promote himself as a more compassionate leader in hopes that the nation will support the results of the recount, and cease the flow if criticism. However, there are concerns about what could happen should the recount result give the Communists the 61 votes necessary to elect a president, and not the 60 originally reported. Regardless of this latest attempt at rectifying the government's heavy handed image, students and journalists are still in hiding out of fear of being arrested. Some detainees who were only sentenced to four or five days imprisonment are now being released, but widespread releases have not begun yet. 10 (C) Voronin is holding Romania culpable and many Moldovan sympathizers have been effectively frightened by the police arrests of anyone the state deems is guilty of the April 7 riots. Romanian President Basescu, fuelling the flames and responding to Voronin's attacks in his own way, asked his Cabinet on April 15, by emergency decree, to begin amending the citizenship law. If amended, the law would allow Moldovan applicants to receive Romanian passports within six months of applying. Applicants' interviews will also be abolished, thereby shortening the procedure by which Moldovans are granted Romanian citizenship. CHAUDHRY