Polling stations for elections to Russia’s State Duma opened today in the unrecognised Transnistrian region despite protests from the Moldovan authorities. NewsMaker reported this.
Local media said that more than 21,000 people in Transnistria had voted as of 12:00.
Polling stations in Transnistria opened at 08:00 and will remain open until 20:00. Vadym Krasnoselsky, the unrecognised leader of Transnistria, also cast his vote.
According to regional media, a total of 17 polling stations were opened in Transnistria. However, information about their number remains contradictory, as addresses have been published for only 15 stations. The only polling station whose opening was agreed with the Moldovan authorities is located at the Russian Embassy in Chisinau.
Krasnoselsky said that the number of residents in the region holding Russian citizenship could increase by the next elections. According to him, this would be due in part to President Vladimir Putin’s decree simplifying the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship.
Earlier, the Transnistrian authorities published the addresses of 15 polling stations to be opened in eight cities across the unrecognised region. This came despite Chisinau delivering a note of protest to the Russian ambassador, as the opening of polling stations in Transnistria for Russia’s State Duma elections had not been agreed with Moldova’s constitutional authorities.
Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said that the Russian Embassy in Chisinau had agreed with the Moldovan authorities to open only one polling station — at the embassy itself.
“Any other polling station opened without the consent of the constitutional authorities of the Republic of Moldova is an unfriendly step,” Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi said.
