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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Monday submitted to the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) the proposal to organize 748 polling stations abroad in the parliamentary elections of December 5 and 6, according to AGERPRES.
According to the MAE, most polling stations will be held in Spain (140 polling stations, compared to 143 in the 2019 presidential elections), Italy (137 polling stations, compared to 142 in the 2019 presidential elections), Germany (61 of sections, compared to 80 organized in the 2019 presidential elections), Great Britain (50 sections, compared to 72 organized in the 2019 presidential elections), France (48 sections, compared to 50 organized in the 2019 presidential elections), USA (36 polling stations, compared to 38 organized in the 2019 presidential elections), the Republic of Moldova (30 polling stations, compared to 37 organized in the 2019 presidential elections), Belgium (19 polling stations, compared to 23 organized in the presidential elections of 2019), Austria (17 sections, same as in the 2019 presidential elections), Ireland (16 sections, same as in the 2019 presidential elections), the Netherlands (15 sections, compared to 25 held in the 2019 presidential elections), Greece (11 sections, same as in the 2019 presidential elections), Norway (10 sections, same as in the 2019 presidential elections), Denmark (10 sections, compared to 12 held in the 2019 presidential elections), Portugal (9 sections, same as in the 2019 presidential elections), Canada (7 sections, compared to 9 held in the 2019 presidential elections), Switzerland (7 sections, compared to 8 held in the 2019 presidential elections), Australia and New Zealand (7 sections, as in the presidential elections in 2019), Hungary (7 sections, compared to 6 organized in the 2019 presidential elections) and Finland (4 sections, compared to 3 organized in the 2019 presidential elections).
Also, in the context of the measures adopted to manage the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the MAE recalls that the authorities in Malta and Nigeria have stated that they will not allow the establishment of polling stations. At the same time, for objective reasons, the MAE reminds that no polling stations will be organized in Venezuela (the activity of the diplomatic mission was suspended due to the deterioration of the security conditions there) and in the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (the borders of this state are closed, which does not allow the sending of the necessary materials). These situations have been publicly communicated by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on multiple occasions.
The MAE emphasizes that the optimal organization of the parliamentary elections abroad, especially in the current pandemic context, involves the active involvement of both political parties, by appointing representatives as members of the polling stations, and a constant dialogue with the authorities involved in the organization of the electoral process (Constituency Electoral Bureau 43 for Romanian citizens domiciled or residing abroad, Permanent Electoral Authority, Special Telecommunications Service). At the same time, the involvement and participation of the Romanian citizens abroad as members of the electoral bureaus of the polling stations can substantially contribute to the efficient management and to ensuring an optimal flow of the voting process.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds that Romanians with domicile or residence abroad can vote at the polls organized abroad for two days - Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6, 2020.
The representatives of the Ministry also specify that the proposal for organizing these sections is the result of consulting the communities of Romanian citizens abroad and of the sustained efforts and involvement of the heads of missions and the staff of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps under their coordination, under the special and difficult conditions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the 12 localities communicated by the Permanent Electoral Authority were taken into account, as a result of the requests for the establishment of sections registered on the platform www.votstrainatate.ro.
Thus, the argumentative documentation sent to AEP includes, among other things, both the results of the consultations of the diplomatic missions and consular offices with the communities of Romanian citizens abroad, as well as the logistical notes regarding the fulfillment of the conditions for the functioning of the polling stations.
