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CEC documents

Regulation on the status of foreign (international) observers for the time period of elections
Chisinau, 16 April 2003

I. The process of foreign (international) observers accreditation

1. Foreign (international) observers shall be accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the proposal of international organisations, foreign governments and non-governmental organisations.

2. The Central Electoral Commission, on the basis of accreditation documents, shall issue to foreign (international) observers certificates of a distinctive design, which shall allow them to observe the elections.

3. Foreign (international) observers may be active for the whole election period, but shall not exceed the term indicated in the certificate.

II. The rights and obligations of foreign (international) observers

1. Foreign (international) observers are entitled to attend all the electoral procedures:

1. to attend the sessions of the Central Electoral Commission, electoral councils and bureaus;
2. to study the electoral documents (electoral lists, documents of the parties, socio-political organisations, and electoral blocs, which were submitted for registration of electoral contestants for the positions of councilors and mayors, that of independent candidates, as well as financial documents of the electoral contestants);
3. to attend at the sealing and opening of the voter boxes, the counting of votes, as well as at filling of protocols on the results of elections;
4. to attend the meetings of the candidates to councilors and mayors;
5. to attend at the electoral procedures, that comply with the current law.

2. Foreign (international) observers may ask for copies of the electoral documents, which shall be made at their expense.

3. Foreign (international) observers shall inform the Chairman of the electoral council or bureau on any violations observed.

4. Foreign (international) observers are not entitled to:

1. interfere in the electoral process or in any other electoral procedures conducted by the electoral councils or bureaus;
2. benefit by their statute for activities other than those related to observing the elections.

III. Guaranteeing the foreign (international) observers activities for the time period of elections

1. Foreign (international) observers in their activity shall be guided by generally recognised international law, by the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, the Electoral Code and current law.

2. Foreign (international) observers shall be protected by the state, Republic of Moldova, for the whole time period in which they have been accredited to observe the elections.

3. The activity of the observers shall be financially insured from the funds of the organisations, which delegated them, or from their own funds.

4. Foreign (international) observers shall independently exercise their functions of observing the elections.

IV. The responsibility of foreign (international) observers

1. In case when foreign (international) observers violate the principles and norms of generally recognised international law, the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, Electoral Code and of the current law, their accreditation shall be recalled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the proposal of the Central Electoral Commission.

2. In case when foreign (international) observers are held responsible for violating electoral law, they shall be immediately asked to leave the polling station.