Electoral propaganda
Citizens of the Republic of Moldova, parties and other social-political organizations, electoral blocs, candidates and representatives of these candidates shall have the right to subject to open discussions from all aspects the electoral programs of electoral competitors, political, professional and personal of the latter, as well as to spread propaganda in favor or disfavor of candidates in assemblies, meetings, meetings with voters, through mass media means and other forms of communication which exclude the violation of public order and ethic rules. Spreading electoral propaganda in favor of the candidate shall be allowed only after being registered by the elections authority.
Public institutions of broadcasting shall offer during electoral campaign free of charge broadcasting space to electoral competitors for public debates according to the limits determined by Central Elections Commission. In case of paid electoral advertisement, electoral competitors shall be offered broadcasting space that does not exceed two hours for the entire electoral campaign, inclusively no more than two minutes per day for each institution.
Private institutions of broadcasting may, respecting equitable conditions for all electoral competitors, organize debates in form of round tables, inviting representatives of all electoral competitors, all together or in groups formed according to certain criteria announced in advance by the Central Elections Commission. The speeches of the participants in the program shall be timed, and still all electoral competitors shall have an equal amount of time. The broadcasting schedule of the respective program, approved by Central Elections Commission, shall be brought to the knowledge of electoral competitors 7 days prior to broadcasting each program. The broadcasting time for paid elections advertisement may not exceed two minutes per day for an electoral competitor of each institution.
In the period of electoral debates, beside the free of charge broadcasting time, it is not allowed to broadcast any advertisement material about the activity of electoral competitors or with the participation of them personally of their entrusted persons, of TV or radio reportages reflecting the meetings of electoral competitors with the voters, materials about working visits of candidates from among officials of republican or district level with collectives of workers. No electoral competitor shall have priorities due to the held position.
The electoral competitor shall be responsible for the content of electoral advertisement materials broadcast or published. Each advertisement material shall include the name of electoral competitor, printing date, number of pieces as well as the name of the printing house, which has published it.
Broadcasting institutions, whether public or private, shall create to all electoral competitors equal conditions for purchasing broadcasting time, soliciting equal fees. Conditions for booking broadcasting time and the respective fees shall be 7 days before broadcasting the program. The broadcasting fee to be paid by electoral competitors may not exceed the regular price of price for commercial advertisements. The broadcasting time for electoral advertisements shall be offered for one and the same time when broadcasted.
Publication of opinion polls shall cease 10 days prior to elections.
On the elections day, mass media means, shall not make open the results of opinion polls of voters with regard to “aye” and “nay” or lack of votes for a respective candidate before the polling stations are closed.
The refusal to broadcast or publish electoral advertisement, under the present law, for money or free of charge may be contested in the law court.
Electoral competitors may organize meeting with the voters. Councils, electoral committees and local public administration authorities are obliged to organize them in such away that these unfold under equal conditions and terms.
During the electoral campaign, as well as during the referendum, the broadcasting time offered to press services of the Parliament, Government and President’s administration may not be used for the purpose of electoral propaganda or that related to being in favor or disfavor of a referendum.
Only after registration by the respective electoral authority electoral competitors are entitled to expose electoral billboards, the content of which may not run counter the law or the rules of ethics.
Local public administration authorities shall be obliged, within a 5-day term after the registration of the electoral candidate, to determine and guarantee a minimum number of places specially designed for electoral purposes. This offered space to electoral competitors should be equal for all.
On the day of elections and a day before no propaganda is allowed.
[Article 47 as amended by the Law no.796-XV from 25.01.2002]
[Article 47 as amended by the Law no.894-XIV from 23.03.2000]
[Article 47 as amended by the Law no.480-XIV from 23.03.2000]
[Article 47 as amended by the Law no.268-XIV from 04.02.1999]
