Upcoming electoral debates set for October 27 in Moldova
The two candidates participating in the second round of the presidential elections have agreed on the regulations for organising the electoral debates on Sunday, October 27.
The debates will be held at the Palace of the Republic, commencing at 10:00 AM, and will be broadcast live on Moldova 1, as well as on other media outlets that wish to carry the signal.
The debates will take place without a moderator, allowing each candidate to pose ten questions. Each candidate will have two minutes for opening remarks and an additional two minutes at the conclusion for a statement directed at the voters.
Each candidate will be accompanied by five team members who will remain outside the filming area, as well as a cameraman and a photographer from their respective staffs. Candidates will each have a representative responsible for monitoring compliance with the time allocated for questions, answers, and rebuttals.
During the debates, calls for war or aggression, messages of national, racial, or religious hatred, incitement to discrimination, territorial separatism, public violence, or other actions that undermine the constitutional order are strictly prohibited.
The order of interventions will be determined by drawing lots prior to the commencement of the debates.
The Teleradio-Moldova company will broadcast the debates in their entirety, live, without intervening in their content.
It is important to note that immediately after the announcement of the preliminary results of the first round of voting, candidates Maia Sandu and Alexandr Stoianoglo extended mutual invitations to participate in an electoral debate before the second round. Initially, the PAS candidate proposed that the debate take place this Thursday or Friday and be hosted by the public television station, Moldova 1. However, these proposals were rejected by her opponent, as stated by Adrian Băluțel, a member of Maia Sandu's electoral team. He clarified that the proposals from the opposing team were accepted to ensure the swift organisation of the debate. "Our goal is for the debate to occur promptly so that citizens have the opportunity to compare the candidates' visions before the elections," Băluțel remarked.
Conversely, the team of candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo insisted from the outset that the electoral debate should occur on a neutral platform with two moderators. The proposed date was the following Thursday, October 31, just three days before the elections.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
