On November 30, 2008, Romania will hold Parliamentary elections (Chamber of Deputies and Senate). Romanian citizens who are in the United States can participate in the elections by presenting themselves to the nearest polling station.

The polling stations will be open from 07:00 to 21:00 (local time at each polling station). Physical presence at the polling station is required. The Romanian legislation does not provide for absentee ballot. No pre-registration is necessary. Voter registration will be made at the time of voting by each polling station.

Romanian voters are advised that participation in the elections is possible only on the basis of a valid Romanian passport and an additional document verifying U.S. address. Accepted U.S. address documents are the following (valid at the time of voting): permanent residence permit (green card); work permit; drivers license; state identification document (state ID); short term visa for study, business, work, or religious activity.

Media Accreditation

According to Article 43, paragraph 5 of Law no 35/2008 on the election of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate, and the amendment and completion of the Law no 67/2004 on the elections of local public administration officials, and the Law of public administration no 215/2001 and the Law no 393/2004 regarding the Statute of local elected officials, published in Official Monitor no 196 of March 13, 2008, as further amended and completed and according to the Decision of the Permanent Electoral Authority no. 6/2008, the Permanent Electoral Authority gives accreditation to representatives of the foreign press, radio and television, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ proposal.

The deadline for sending the accreditation requests and the related documents is Thursday, November 27, 2008, during working time, no later than 16:30h.

Accreditation Procedure 

A. Representatives of the foreign media who hold a valid press correspondent authorization, issued by the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, should send to the Spokesperson Department by e-mail at acreditare.presa@mae.ro, only the accreditation form and a photo. The foreign journalists who hold an authorization expiring during the election period are requested to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to obtain a new accreditation authorization.

B. Representatives of the foreign media who do not hold a valid press correspondent authorization, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the requested documents in order to obtain the accreditation are the following:

·      An accreditation letter from the press institution, in the English or French language, addressed to the Spokesperson Department. This address shall confirm the fact that the journalist is an employee of the respective press organization as press correspondent in Romania during the elections for Chamber of Deputies and Senate. The letter shall have the original header, the signature of the manager, the date and the seal of the institution. Freelance journalists shall send accreditation requests issued by at least one press institution or by the administrative board of the professional association which they belong to. Letters which contain the expression "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN" will not be accepted. 

·        A copy of the press identity card, national or international;

·        A copy of the passport or a copy of the identity card in the case of the Romanian citizens;

·        A passport type photo, in electronic form, with the specifications name_first name_media; 

·        Accreditation form

C. All documents shall be sent by e-mail at acreditare.presa@mae.ro or by fax to: +4021-319.21.95.

 

The accreditation for the elections of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate on November 30, 2008 is granted by the Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA) and is available in original or as a copy.

 

The original accreditation document may be obtained from the PEA headquarters (6, Stavropoleos Street Bucharest, 3rd District, 030084, telephone/fax (004021-310.08.51, e-mail: http://www.roaep.ro/ro/index.php), during working time (from Monday till Thursday, between 8:00-16:30h, Friday between 8:00-14:00h). The last day for obtaining the original accreditation authorization is Friday, November 28, 2008.

 

The accreditation form may be downloaded (in scanned version – which replaces the copies) from the PEA site: http://www.roaep.ro/ro/index.php, the section “Alegeri” (the sub-section “Actualitatea electorală”, “Parlamentare”, “Alte materiale”- http://www.roaep.ro/ro/section.php?id=66&l2=72&l3=127).  

 

The accreditation document is valid only if it is accompanied by an identity card of the owner. 

 

For more information please contact the Spokesperson Department within the MFA, telephone: +4021-431.14.51; +4021-319.21.93 or +4021-431.16.04

 

The accredited persons may assist to elections only on the base of an accreditation authorization in the voting day, starting with 6:00am until the moment of the drafting and signing by the members of the electoral bureau of the voting section of the minutes related to the election results in that voting section. They cannot interfere in any way in the election process; they can only inform in writing the president of the electoral bureau in case irregularities are observed.

 

Accreditation of foreign observers

According to Article 43, paragraph 5 of Law no 35/2008 on the election of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate and the amendment and completion of the Law no 67/2004 on the elections of local public administration officials, and the Law of public administration no 215/2001 and the Law no 393/2004 regarding the Statute of local elected officials, published in Official Monitor no 196 of March 13, 2008, as further amended and completed and according to the Decision of the Permanent Electoral Authority no. 6/2008, the Permanent Electoral Authority gives accreditation to the representatives of the international organizations activating in the field of democracy and of the human rights, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ proposal.

 

The deadline for sending the accreditation requests and the related documents is Thursday, November 27, 2008, during working time, no later than 16:30h.

 

ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE

A. The required documents for accreditation are:

·      The accreditation letter from the international organization drafted in Romanian, English and French and addressed to the Minster of Foreign Affairs. This letter shall certify that the organization activates in the field of democracy and of the human rights and that the mentioned representative of the organization is authorized as observer during the elections period on November 30, 2008. The letter shall bear the original header, the signature of the organization president, the date and the seal. Letters which contain the expression "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN" will not be accepted. 

·       The duplicate of the membership permit of the international organisation; 

·       A copy of the passport or a copy of the identity card in the case of the Romanian citizens;   

·       A passport type photo, in electronic form, with the specifications name_first name_organisation;

·       Accreditation form.  

B. All documents shall be sent by e-mail at election.accredit@mae.ro or by fax to: +4021-319.23.67.

 

The accreditation for the elections of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate on November 30, 2008 is granted by the Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA) and is available in original or as a copy.

 

The original accreditation document may be obtained from the PEA headquarters (6, Stavropoleos Street Bucharest, 3rd District, 030084, telephone/fax (004021-310.08.51, e-mail: http://www.roaep.ro/ro/index.php), during working time (from Monday till Thursday, between 8:00-16:30h; Friday between 8:00-14:00h). The last day for obtaining the original accreditation authorization is Friday, November 28, 2008.

 

The accreditation form may be downloaded (in scanned version – which replaces the copies) from the PEA website: http://www.roaep.ro/ro/index.php,  section “Alegeri” (sub-section “Actualitatea electorală”, “Parlamentare”, “Alte materiale”- http://www.roaep.ro/ro/section.php?id=66&l2=72&l3=127).  

 

The accreditation document is valid only if it is accompanied by an identity card of the owner.

 

For more information contact the OSCE, the Council of Europe and of the Human Rights Department within MFA, phone number +4021-431.11.05, +4021-431.17.05.

 

The accredited persons may assist to elections only on the base of an accreditation authorization in the voting day, starting with 6:00am until the moment of the drafting and signing by the members of the electoral bureau of the voting section of the minutes related to the election results in that voting section. They cannot interfere in any way in the election process; they can only inform in writing the president of the electoral bureau in the case irregularities are observed.

 

Additional information

For further information on the Romanian Parliamentary elections, please contact the Embassy of Romania, 1607 23rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008; Tel: (202) 232-3694; Fax: (202) 232-4748; office@roembus.org; elections@roembus.org.

 

For further detailed information in the Romanian language, please click here.