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Europe
Romania approves EU membership amidst voting irregularities
2003-10-21
Edited for brevity.
Romanians overwhelmingly approved a new constitution designed to prepare the formerly communist country for membership in the European Union, officials said Tuesday. While the result appeared to be a victory for the government, balloting was marred by reports of widespread irregularities and voter coercion. Cristian Beldiman, a statistician at the central elections office, said 89.7 percent of those who voted endorsed the new constitution. About 8.8 percent opposed it, Beldiman said after vote counting ended Monday night. According to official results, some 55.7 percent of nearly 18 million registered voters turned out. Just 1.49 percent of the votes were declared invalid. For the vote to be valid, more than half of eligible voters had to participate.

Government officials were alarmed at the low turnout on the first day of voting, and most of the irregularities occurred on the second day. Among irregularities detailed by rights groups, newspapers and election monitors were the unwarranted use of mobile ballot boxes normally reserved for the infirm, threats and material incentives — including free TV sets, furniture, soccer tickets and firewood — in exchange for votes. "The coercion is reminiscent of communist times," said Mircea Toma, who heads the Agency for Monitoring Press Freedoms. In a Transylvanian village, the mayor reportedly threatened retirees that their pensions would not be paid if they did not vote, the groups said. In the southern port of Galati, people were offered a free seat to a soccer match if they could prove they had cast a ballot, they said.
At least they’re not impaling people in Transylvania anymore! Whaddaya think of progress, Vlad?
Posted by:Dar

#2  This is obviously part of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy to take over the world
Posted by: typical lefty   2003-10-21 11:16:26 PM  

#1  What kind of TV sets? Sounds like I'm voting in the wrong contry.
Posted by: Steve D   2003-10-21 6:56:54 PM  

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