Lilian Carp: "We will gradually increase the number of states where Moldovan citizens will vote by mail"
More Moldovan citizens will exercise their right to vote by mail in the upcoming elections. Lilian Carp, the deputy and chair of the Parliamentary Committee for National Security, Defense, and Public Order, said in the show "Pe fața" on Moldova 1 that the number of countries offering this option will gradually increase. According to him, the capacities will expand, and the number of countries will also grow.
"Ideally, we should grant voting rights to all citizens living in the diaspora, but we need to enhance the capacities of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), which is currently operating at its limits," stated Lilian Carp.
When asked whether the deadline for sending ballot papers would be extended—from Thursday to Friday as previously discussed—he noted that "this matter is still under debate."
"We will discuss whether the CEC can extend this term during the debate process and how we can secure certain processes. In an era of digitalization, where we face cyberattacks from other states, we must build the capacity to prevent election fraud amid such attacks. The duration of the voting period—whether longer or shorter—will be determined after discussions. However, we will also consider the opinions of the CEC, as they are best equipped to manage this process and understand their own limitations," added Lilian Carp.
At the end of April, deputies voted on a draft law allowing Moldovan citizens residing in Japan and Australia to vote by mail in the parliamentary elections scheduled for September 28, 2025. The parliament approved this draft law in its first reading, which aims to expand the use of alternative voting methods despite opposition criticisms.
Postal voting was first tested during the presidential elections and constitutional referendum held on October 20, 2024. The law governing this pilot program was adopted on April 26, 2024, despite justification concerns raised by the opposition, which challenged it in the Constitutional Court, arguing that it was discriminatory since it only applies to selected countries. The initial implementation phase focused on the USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, chosen based on criteria such as distance from polling stations, the lack of consular infrastructure, functional postal services, and prior experiences in organizing remote voting.
As a reminder, the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova will take place on September 28, 2025. This decision was made following a vote by 57 deputies during the plenary session on April 17.
