Russia opens unauthorised Duma election polling stations in Transnistria, defying Moldovan ban

Ulyana Krychkovska-Bogdanova, Roman Petrenko - 20 September, 15:54

Photo: TASS

Despite protests from the constitutional authorities of Moldova on Sunday 20 September, in unrecognised Transnistria, polling stations opened for elections to the State Duma of Russia (lower chamber of the Russian parliament).

Source: European Pravda, citing Newsmaker

Details: Over 21,000 people had voted by 12:00. The only polling station whose opening was agreed upon with the Moldovan authorities is located at the Russian Embassy in Chișinău.

Polling stations in Transnistria opened at 08:00 and will operate until 20:00. The so-called head of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, also took part in the voting.

For reference: In the temporarily occupied part of Kherson Oblast, Russia is holding sham elections to the lower house of its parliament, the State Duma, with the help of themed polling stations styled after different periods of history – from the Russian Empire to the post-war USSR.

Background:

Krasnoselsky stated that 17 polling stations would open in Transnistria during the September elections to the Russian State Duma.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova stated that Russia opening polling stations in Transnistria for the State Duma elections is unacceptable without the consent of Moldova's constitutional authorities.
In early September, Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova and handed a note of protest.

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