MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Moldova has denied accreditation to American experts Kline Preston, chairman of the Institute for Progress Through Law, and political commentator Steve Gill to serve as international observers for the upcoming parliamentary elections, radio host Gill told TASS himself.

Both experts previously participated as observers in the 2024 Russian presidential elections, as well as in other countries. Additionally, Gill was part of the foreign expert team during the 2023 elections for deputies in the Donetsk People’s Republic, while Preston visited Russia to observe the 2018 presidential elections.

"The Moldovan Central Election Commission cited their own regulations limiting those entities they accept and rejecting the application by Institute for Progress Through Law, which again has a long and substantial record of fair and unbiased election observations," said the political commentator.

He provided the official response from the CEC: "At the same time, according to Art. 88 (4) and point 7 of the Regulation on the status of observers and procedure of accreditation, the application for the accreditation of international observers can be submitted only if the entity has received an invitation from the Central Election Commission to monitor the elections. In this regards, please be informed that the Commission has already sent invitations, to the Embassies accredited to the Republic of Moldova and internationa organizations, with which our country has officially signed and ratified the accession treaty as well to organisation with which CEC had or has collaboration relations. In view of the stated regulatory provisions, your request cannot be granted."

"In other words, if you do not fit our pre-selected preferred biases that are likely to produce the results we desire, then we cannot let you observe the election," Gill noted. He added that attempts by the Institute for Progress Through Law to enlist the support of the US State Department, "which presumably has an interest in a fair and credible election result in Moldova," failed to elicit the necessary intervention. According to the American political commentator, "regardless of the results of the election, the process limiting outside observers and independent media sources, will only amplify the criticism and lack of credibility attached to the final results."

Elections in Moldova

Parliamentary elections in Moldova are slated to take place on September 28. Public opinion polls suggest that the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) could lose its majority in parliament. The opposition includes the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, centered around the Party of Socialists, which includes the parties "Heart of Moldova," "Future of Moldova," and the Communist Party. Among PAS’s opponents is also the "Alternative" bloc, formed by the "National Alternative Movement," the Party for Development and Consolidation of Moldova, and the "Partidul Actiunii Comune - Congresul Civic" party. "Our Party" is also likely to enter parliament.

The "Victory" bloc was barred from the elections, and liquidation procedures were initiated against its constituent parties. Television channels and information portals providing a platform for the opposition have been shut down in the country. Critics of the government, including politicians and public figures, claim they are also facing pressure from law enforcement agencies. Earlier, the head of the Moldovan Ministry of Internal Affairs, Daniella Misail-Nichitin, told journalists that tens of thousands of people had been targeted by law enforcement sanctions for similar violations ahead of the elections.