AEP's Mituletu-Buica: All things, settled for elections

All things are settled regarding the organization of the local elections on September 27 and this time there will be no problems in the electoral process and there is no risk regarding the spread of the novel coronavirus if the rules established at the level of polling stations are observed, the president of the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), Florin Constantin Mituletu-Buica, said on Friday. "From a technical point of view, things have worked and will work also on September 27, the date of the elections. At this moment we have all the things in place, all the materials necessary for voting are at the county level and will reach the polling stations tomorrow. All materials, including sanitary protection materials, will be in the polls this time as a novelty. Except for pandemic conditions, with the establishment of these sanitary protection rules, physical distance, there were no impediments in the organization of this year's electoral process", Mituletu-Buica declared for AGERPRES. He said the election would take place "properly" despite all the conditions of the pandemic. "As a novelty, as we all know, we are in a state of alert and only these rules have created little difficulties, so to speak, in establishing the rules to be followed in the polling station, but we have all the things set up on this line. And we are sure that it will take place properly this time too, in the midst of a pandemic", added the AEP president. Mituletu-Buica specified that all polling stations will be opened in time, noting that the withdrawal of several presidents of polling stations so far is normal and will not affect the organization of elections. "It is a normal withdrawal. As always in local elections, we have withdrawals with this ban that says that presidents, deputies, computer operators must not have relatives up to the second degree inclusively for presidents, deputies, candidates. Then there are withdrawals after the finality of many candidacies, but also on health issues of some people who have been appointed to this body. But, I repeat, as is normal every time there are local elections there are withdrawals (...) I do not think that at this time we can discuss an assessment of a fear of illness or transmission of this pandemic virus COVID-19. Things are normal, we will ensure the opening of all polling stations on September 27, when the vote will take place between 7.00 and 21.00", Mituletu-Buica underlined. The AEP president reiterated that there will be no problems in the electoral process and there is no risk of the virus spreading if the rules set at the polling station are followed. "My message is clear: citizens should vote, because a large number of citizens will certainly ensure greater representation for a 4-year term of the elected officials at the level of each locality. As the authorities have organized themselves, also this time there will be no problems in the electoral process and there is no risk of the virus spreading if the rules established at the polling station level are observed by the participants in the electoral process, the members of the polling stations, as well as by the voters who go at the polls", said Mituletu-Buica. AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - author: Bogdan Gabaroi; editor: Adina Panaitescu)