Moldova's Central Electoral Commission faces audit over unplanned spending

The Court of Auditors has reported multiple irregularities in the procurement practices of Moldova's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) for the 2024 and 2025 election cycles. Auditors found that purchases worth 7.8 million lei in 2024 and 4.3 million lei in 2025 were not included in the CEC’s annual procurement plans. A large share of election‑related spending was carried out through exception procedures – 54 % of the planned value for the 2025 parliamentary elections and 61 % for the 2024 presidential election and referendum. The audit also highlighted insufficient documentation for cancelled tenders and disqualified bidders.

Additional findings include payments of over 115 000 lei to election‑board members lacking valid qualification certificates, and the CEC’s accounting of more than 4 000 obsolete computers valued at 30.7 million lei that have not been disposed of. Some real‑estate assets managed by the CEC are not recorded in the state’s public property register. CEC President Angelica Caraman acknowledged the need for greater transparency, proposing separate procurement plans for each election and a move toward centralised purchasing. Audit team leader Alina Certan called for improved documentation and internal controls.