Weekly Roundup: 11 Candidates and 11 Parties Compete
September 30, 2024
Quick Programming Note: This coming week I’ll be traveling to attend a wedding with limited computer access. We’ve got some great article ready for you while I’m gone but updates on breaking news and the Weekly Roundup will be delayed until I am back on October 9th.
Moldova Has 11 Candidates for President
Since last week’s roundup the Central Election Commission (CEC) has officially registered 5 of the 6 pending candidates for president after validating their collected signatures. Candidates Octavian Ticu (Împreună (Together) Block), Tudor Ulianovschi (Independent), Victoria Furtuna (Independent), Andrei Nastase (Independent) and Natalia Morari (Independent) were officially registered as candidates.
Igor Muteanu (Coalition for Unity and Welfare (CUB)) was rejected because only 14,827 of the 17,500 signatures he turned in to the CEC were determined to be valid.1 This fell short of the required 15,000 signature threshold.
Muteanu loudly protested this rejection saying to the CEC that “we will see each other in court” and claiming that "We have serious reasons to believe that this was a political order."
The CEC has called on all candidates to respect the independence of the commission and to appeal in court any decisions they disagree with. They asked candidates and parties refrain from politically attacking the CEC saying:
"We also call on the electoral competitors to keep within the limits of a civilized political behavior, to strictly respect the provisions of the legislation in force and to give up any attempts to exert influence on the CEC, because they are doomed to failure from the start."
Following the final registrations of candidates, the CEC presented an example of the ballot that voters will see with all candidates listed according to a randomly drawn order.
Orthodox Religious Leaders Preach Against the EU
This week NordNews reported that Bishop Markell of Balti and Falesti endorsed Shor-linked candidate Victoria Furtuna from the pulpit. In his endorsement he called her a “fragile,” “Christian” woman who is “capable of promoting Christian laws.”
Another priest in Balti was filmed preaching against the EU claiming that Europe brings "only abominations." He focused on transgender people and bathroom use. He claimed that schools in Chisinau were already integrating bathrooms (which is untrue). The priest later denied all of this to journalists in spite of the video.
The Moldovan Metropolis condemned the involvement of church officials in elections and urged them to focus on preaching the Gospel.
It is illegal for church officials to engage in electoral politics in Moldova. The head of the National Police Viorel Cernăuțanu stated that they are investigating 3 separate instances of church officials involving themselves in elections. He called on citizens to report additional cases to the police and noted that fines for violating the law could be between 2500 and 3500 lei.
Given the reporting that Orthodox Priests who have traveled to Moscow on trips organized by Shor are promised 1000 euros / month these fines may not prove to be a major deterrent.
The Bessarabian Metropolis2 called on the Moldovan Metropolis to stop these political actions, though, the way they did it was not unpolitical. The church stated:
"This must be stopped. …the church is called to preach the Gospel of Christ, and not to treacherously imitate friendship with a foreign executioner who crushed, starved and devastated this small corner of the earth"
“At the same time, the Bessarabian Metropolitanate firmly supports Moldova’s European course, which reflects democratic values and respect for the Church and Christianity.”
Other Election News:
Here’s a roundup of the other top stories related to the presidential election and referendum this week:
The CEC refused to register the Pobeda (Victory) party as a participant in the referendum campaign. The “People’s Will” party was also rejected. This leaves 11 parties registered to participate in the referendum with 9 parties supporting joining the EU and 2 parties, the Communists and Renaissance (Shor) campaigning against. The Socialist Party did not register at all reflecting their desire to boycott the referendum.
The Moldovan Foreign Ministry has appealed to the CEC asking them to further reduce the number of polling stations in Russia from 5 to 2. The Ministry justified the request citing evidence from the Security and Information Service (SIS) calling into question whether or not voters and poll workers could be safe in Russia outside of the Embassy in Moscow. The Socialist Party called this request "sabotage." The CEC announced that they are still considering the request and hearing arguments from different parties, but that they believe 5 polling stations is better than 2 and that locations such as St. Petersburg are sufficiently far from the front lines to be safe. Ultimately, the CEC decided on a compromise ordering the Foreign Ministry to review locations for safety but to assure 5 polling places are opened.
TeleRadio Moldova (TRM) has requested amendments to election commercials from the Communists and Usatii stoking controversy. TRM is a state broadcaster and has allocated all campaigns 10 minutes of free radio advertising and 5 minutes of free TV advertising on state channels during the first 15 days of the campaign. They rejected the Communist Party video ad, giving them 12 hours to send a corrected version, saying:
"The Communist Party was warned that 'political or electoral advertising must contain only materials that exclude misleading, immoral messages, any form of discrimination, sexist statements, obscene language or insults that offend a person's honor and dignity, slander, calls for hatred on an interpersonal, national, racial or religious basis,'"
The language of the video in question stated that "Never before has there been so many blatant traitors and scoundrels at the top of power” and accused the government of “purposefully destroying everything that seemed unshakable, everything that has always been sacred.” The Communist Party launched a protest outside of the offices of Moldova 1 TV channel after the rejection attended by a few dozen people.
TRM also rejected an ad from Renato Usatii and requested changes. In particular, they asked him to remove the phrase “I am in favor of banning LGBT propaganda in schools” from the video calling it "incitement to discrimination." Usatii has stated that this proposed ban is a key part of his campaign and that he will not remove it from the video and if necessary go without these TV advertisements. Decisions of TRM in election matters can be appealed to the CEC and both campaigns are doing so.
Natalia Morari launched her campaign on September 27th with a video filmed on a stretch of highway. She claimed that the renovation of the highway involved an unspecified corruption scheme and that it was time to "put an end to the mockery of the country." Morari launched her campaign program called "New Moldova" and claimed that if only 20-30% of her plan were enacted Moldova would economically rise to an average European level. The 17 page plan, which at time resembles an essay (or manifesto) more than a typical political program, notably mentioned the European Union only once - to dismiss the idea of joining external blocks as a way to solve Moldova’s economic problems.
Andrei Nastase launched his campaign on September 27th claiming that he “once already freed the country from thieves, and he will do it again.3” During his speech Nastase’s supporter chanted “Down with Maia Sandu.” Nastase stated that he represents a "realistic election program" focused on "strong industrialization" of the economy. He has also begun using the slogan "Together, we will put Moldova first!" echoing his recent fascination with Donald Trump.
Igor Dodon addressed the apparent split between the Socialists and Communists in an interview. The two parties, which have split on the presidential election and the referendum nominally remain allies in parliament in the Block of Communists and Socialists (BECS). He stated that any rumors of splits “are only for the benefit of Maia Sandu.” Addressing the allegations that Voronin and the Communists have moved into Shor’s camp Dodon stated “I do not agree with this, I do not believe in it and do not want to believe it. But there are such opinions.” He went on to state that if there was a collapse in their coalition it would not be due to the Socialist’s actions.
Irina Vlah has claimed that the police prevented her from accessing the observation deck at the “Heart of the Nistru4” point near Naslavcha. Vlah had planned on launching her campaign (whose symbol is a heart) at this point and says that police prevented her and "several hundred people who came to support" from accessing the location. Vlah went on to say that “it is an honor for me to be the main enemy of the regime.” The police have denied this accusation calling it "unfounded, manipulative and slanderous" and said that no officers interfered in a campaign event. They called on politicians not to make unfounded statements and to present video evidence if they claim abuses. In parallel, the border police put out a statement reminding people that prior permission5 to enter the border zone is required for all people (including politicians) who are not residents of villages in the zone. The Boarder Guards Press Secretary Raisa Novicky confirmed to Newsmaker that this statement was related to Vlah’s event. Ultimately she launched her campaign from a nearby location in the village.
Tudor Ulianovschi (Independent) launched his presidential campaign. He stated that “Moldova needs new faces, reliable and competent people,” and promised to support EU integration, better schools and cheaper energy prices and similar less than concrete goals.
Octavian Țîcu of the Împreună (Together) Block launched his campaign. He promised to strengthen pro-EU political groups as well as pro-Union groups. His 8 point program includes economic growth, settling the conflict with Transnistria and similar less than concrete goals.
Victoria Furtuna launched her presidential campaign saying “with God's help we can create paradise here at home in Moldova.” She launched her campaign in her hometown of Hincesti and stressed “traditions,” “values” and “faith.”
Shor and Election Interference New
Here is a roundup of the top stories relating to Shor and the Kremlin’s attempts at illegal election interference:
This week Shor announced the creation of a new Telegram bot channel which will present cash payments to people who carry out tasks and instructions presented by him. He claims that anyone subscribing to the bot will get a bank account with 500 lei and be paid additional 2000 lei sums for completing tasks - such as social media posts, etc. Police remind voters that new legislation provides for fines of 25,000 to 37,500 lei for accepting money, goods or services in exchange for election actions. Minister Spinu responded to the news by saying that “Moldovans are not for sale” and urging people not to give their ID information to scammers saying “Don't believe in fairy tales. There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Vandals, allegedly paid by Shor, cover government buildings with paint. Multiple government buildings including TeleRadio Moldova, the Ministry of Labor, Government building and others have been vandalized with thrown paint this week. Police arrested 2 suspects who claimed during interrogation that they were part of a group of 20 people trained and paid for acts of vandalism and destabilization. They claim that they were paid 5000 euros for throwing paint on the Government building alone. One of them men was paid 500 euros / month to find more young people to bring to Moscow for trainings. Police tracked all 20 people identified on flights to Moscow via Istanbul. In Moscow they were met by an unnamed Russian citizen and accommodated in a city hotel. They were then brought to a training ground where they trained on organizing protests and then turning them violent, as well as acts of vandalism. The men were given money and special phones to communicate with handlers and to send proof of their actions in exchange for payments.
Prosecutor General Ion Munteanu stated that there are 56 cases of illicit financing related to the Shor Party nearly ready for trial. He stated that the cases are separated into individual cases or groups depending on the circumstances. The Prosecutor General also noted that Shor has changed tactics and this cycle are utilizing more digital financial tools and fewer bags of money and couriers. He specifically cited the use of Transnistrian banks to move money from Russia to Shor affiliates and voters.
Two workers were electrocuted at the Gagauzia Land Park which continues to operate illegally. Both men are in serious but stable condition in hospital. Head of the National Police Viorel Cernăuțanu called out safety conditions and lack of permitting at the park saying "I would like to remind you that in the area where the high-voltage power line passes, the construction of an amusement park is prohibited. This fact was ignored during the construction process. And here are the consequences."
Other Political, Security and Foreign Affairs News
Here’s a roundup of the other political, security and foreign affairs stories of the week:
Prime Minister Recean spoke of the need to continue supporting Ukraine at the United Nations General Assembly. In his speech he called Moldova a “reliable partner” for its neighbors and the EU. He also stressed the importance of combating climate change as a key global challenge citing the recent extreme weather in Europe. Regarding Ukraine he stated:
"Ukraine is currently fighting not only for its statehood, its nation and existence. It is fighting for the freedom of every nation to choose and realize its national aspirations. Moldova is in solidarity with Ukraine in defending itself from the Kremlin's aggression. And we call on the international community to provide Ukraine with all the necessary support in a timely manner,"
Controversy about the sale of Moldovan agricultural land to foreigners. In an interview this week the Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Janis Mažeiks answered an interviewer’s question about whether or not joining the EU would require Moldova to allow non-citizens to buy agricultural land. Mažeiks explained that the EU requires free movement of capital and that "this allows any citizen of an EU member state to buy assets in another country.” He stated that Moldova could negotiate for an exemption and transition period but suggested that this was a bad idea and bad legal practice. Prime Minister Recean responded stating:
"We do not sign documents blindly. We negotiate in the interests of our country. And we will seek to ensure that our lands are not sold to foreigners. There are many countries in the EU that currently have restrictions on the sale of land to foreigners. We will do the same,"
The first sale of government bonds via the web portal evms.md was a success. The Ministry of Finance initially intended to offer government bonds worth 50 million lei for sale during the 10 day trial sale period. When demand for this offer was exceeded they increased the number of bonds for sale and ultimately sold 78.8 million lei in bonds to 815 different buyers.
The Transnistrian factory Moldavizolit has halted production and placed its 530 workers on indefinite leave. The factory, which produces circuit boards and electronics products, closed due to an inability to obtain export licenses from Moldova. The government claims that the factory produces dual use items that fall under sanctions against Russia. The company had previously had many contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense prior to 2022.
A TikTok of a man antagonizing Russian “peacekeepers” has gone viral in Moldova. In the video, the man explains how to “properly” drive past a peacekeeping point, in this case Control Point 9 outside of Vadul lui Voda. He then proceeds to roll down his windows and blast the Ukrainian song “Oyu luzi chervona kalyna” which has become an anthem of Ukrainian resistance (at one point covered by Pink Floyd in 2022). The man is stopped by Russian soldiers at the far end of the bridge, not for the song but because he was filming them. This leads to a confrontation including quite a bit of colorful language between the man and a rather hapless looking Russian soldier. The whole event has caused quite a bit of controversy on both sides of the river. Technically, there is no law against filming “peacekeepers” but there is a decision by the Joint Control Commission (JCC) prohibiting it. Experts are divided on how binding this is given the broader illegality of the occupation. Ultimately the man was allowed to continue and he continued to curse the Russians as he drives away.
There are various reasons a signature could be found to be invalid. Signatures of non-citizens, deceased persons or outright forgeries are some options. Parties always collect more signatures than required in case some people signing prove to be ineligible. Most parties collected close to 25,000 signatures but Munteanu’s CUB party collected much less and therefore had less margin for error.
Recall that a schism has formed in the Orthodox Church in Moldova between the traditionally dominant Moldovan Metropolis, a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Bessarabian Metropolis, a branch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. We wrote about this process at Moldova Matters back in November 2023 and the NYTimes covered it in an article in July.
He’s referring to the role he played in helping Maia Sandu, PAS and the Socialists overthrow the Plahotniuc regime. He is also implying that Maia Sandu has captured the state in Plahotniuc’s place. Nastase’s language has gotten much more aggressively anti-Sandu and anti-PAS in the past year, including use of Russian talking points, even as he claims to support common pro-EU goals.
This refers to a beautiful scenic overview of an island shaped like a heart in the Nistru river. If you’re interested in more information about this place, stay tuned for an article from the Journo Birds team about hiking in Moldova coming out this Wednesday.
Moldova does in fact have strict rules about obtaining permission to approach the borders. People who live in towns along the Prut and Nistru rivers are free to go right up to the river (but not swim across) but citizens and residents who reside further from the border must obtain permission. In most cases this is as simple as notifying the local town hall of your intention to go fishing or camping. I’ve personally been camping twice in these regions - once on the Prut and once on the Nistru. Both times we got a surprise when men in uniforms with Kalashnikovs emerged from the bushes and approached our campfires. This is the anti-trafficking unit of the border police. In both cases they were polite and we were able to resolve the issue by having someone drive to town and wake up whoever was required to issue the permission. So this is a real issue that the campaign should have prepared for, even if it is slightly ridiculous to think that a bunch of politicians in suits were about to make a run for Ukraine or to accept some illicit package flown by drone from across the river.