III. Comments on the Text on the Draft Electoral Law 

A. Electoral system, suffrage rights and basic principles

The parliamentary electoral law stipulates in Article 9.1 that the right to be elected is subject to a five-year residency requirement. This residency requirement is excessive and unnecessary. In principle, a length-of-residence requirement may be imposed on nationals for local and regional elections only, and the requisite period of residence should not exceed six months. A longer period may be required only to protect national minorities.[1]

[1] Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters, I 1.1 c iii-iv: iii. a length of residence requirement may be imposed on nationals solely for local or regional elections; iv. the requisite period of residence should not exceed six months; a longer period may be required only to protect national minorities.