According to Transparency International, the way the first round of the election for municipal councilors and mayors was conducted once more highlights significant problems which call into question the fairness of the electoral process.

The association points to a number of violations such as “election tourism”, vote-buying and controlled voting, tampering with ballots and controversial ways of filling in the tally sheets with the results by section election commissions.

As the second round approaches, Transparency International calls on the institutions, parties, candidates for mayors to prevent election violations. The Central Election Commission must ensure there is visibility of ballot counting, and the Interior Ministry must take measures against vote-buying and controlled voting, including by way of rotation of officers from other regional directorates, Transparency International says.

Transparency International is also recommending the creation of regional vote-counting centres as a way of restricting manipulations in the counting of the ballots and the filling out of the tally sheets.