Huge Rise In Moldovan Migrants Leads To Election Chaos At Embassy In Chiswick

Staff overwhelmed as four times more voters than expected turned up

The Moldovan Embassy in Edensor Road has apologised to local people following a protest outside its embassy last weekend when over 1,000 more people than expected turned up to vote in the country's Presidential election and the polling station ran out of ballot papers.

The unexpected rise in voters is believed to be the result of thousands of Moldovans in the UK who have entered on Rumanian (EU) passports but who are also eligible to vote in their country's elections.

The Embassy, which was being used as a polling station for the day, ran out of voting papers by 3pm leading to an angry protest in the street outside where a petition was signed by 600 people claiming they had been denied their rights. There was considerable traffic congestion and local residents complained about not being able to access their homes or the New Chiswick Swimming Pool. They also complained about litter and grass being destroyed.

Consul Mr. Victor Haruta told chiswickw4.com said the increase in voters was completely unexpected. He said that they had 3,000 voting papers, the maximum allowed, and could not accommodate the extra people. A female employee inside the Embassy became concerned at the angry crowds gathering and called the police.

The Embassy was caught off guard. They had two polling days designated for the Presidential election- on the previous date, 13th October, a total of 1100 voters were recorded. They had in no way anticipated 4,000 people would turn up in Chiswick, he said.

For example, he said in the 2014 election a total of 850 people had voted and in 2010 the figure recorded was 600.

Mr. Haruta said officially there were 1500 Moldovans in the UK with visas but they now believe there may be 30,000 Moldovans with Rumanian passports in the UK.

Moldova, a former Soviet state, is not a European Union member, but thousands of Moldovans are acquiring EU passports by claiming dual nationality with their neighbours Romania. They can do this by providing confirmation that they have a great grandparent of Romanian descent.

Staff also believe that a Facebook page set up by groups of immigrants had given publicity to the election which caused greater numbers of people to turn up to vote. A Moldovan Embassy voting centre in Stratford also had larger numbers than anticipated.

The combination of Sunday traffic in Dukes Meadows, the Chiswick School car-boot sale, and events at Kings House sports grounds added to congestion that went on for several hours in the afternoon.

November 17, 2016