Officers of the National Anti-Corruption Centre (CNA) are carrying out searches at the Central Electoral Commission headquarters in Gagauzia on Tuesday, May 16, Gagauz media reports.

Asked by Ziarul de Gardă, Angela Starinschi, spokeswoman for the CNA, said that “criminal prosecutions are currently underway in the case of voter corruption”.

A few hours ago, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) in Chisinau reported that on May 13, 2023, it initiated eight contraventional proceedings on the facts of illegal financing of electoral contestants, who received donations from individuals exceeding the maximum ceiling set by law for cash donations, during the elections held in the Gagauzia Administrative Territorial Unit.

Thus, verifying the total reports on the financing of the electoral campaign, published on the website of the Central Electoral Council of Gagauzia, the CEC found several donations from individuals exceeding the maximum ceiling established by law, in the amount of 11 700 lei, established for cash donations.

In this regard, on 5 May 2023, the CEC formally referred the matter to the Central Electoral Council of Gagauzia to examine the facts described, but no action was taken.

“Therefore, the inaction of the CEC Gagauzia management, who are the verifying agents that ensure the collection of reports on financial management and have first-hand information about possible violations of the law, led to the commission of similar violations in the second round of the elections for Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia. Thus, the CEC additionally found donations made by individuals exceeding the limits for cash donations to candidates Evghenia Gut and Grigorii Uzun,” the CEC statement said.

According to the Contravention Code, once the CEC of Gagauzia did not take any action, the investigators of the Central Electoral Commission intervened by finding and registering the 8 contraventions on the facts provided for in art.483 para. (1) of the Contravention Code.

“Each of the 106 donors, who are suspected of illegal financing by exceeding the ceiling of cash donations, are liable for the admitted violations,” the CEC adds.

According to the legislation, illegal funding of political parties, initiative groups, electoral contestants or referendum participants by individuals, manifested by exceeding the ceilings set by law or on behalf of third (anonymous) persons or by violating the rules set by the existing regulatory framework, is prohibited. Violation of this rule is punishable by a fine of between 30 and 90 conventional units imposed on the natural person or a fine of between 180 and 300 conventional units imposed on the person in a position of responsibility.