Embassy Promises No Repeat Of Moldovan Vote Chaos

Staff optimistic this year's election will go smoothly in Chiswick

The scene in 2016

Preparations are underway for the Moldovan elections on 24 February, as staff in their Embassy in Chiswick taking steps to ensure that the chaotic scenes in 2016 will not be repeated.

Four times more voters than expected turned up at the last election and there was a street protest when the Embassy on Edensor Road ran out of ballot papers. The Embassy had been caught unawares and had a total of 3,000 ballot papers, the maximum allowed, but could not cater for the over 4,000 voters who turned up.

A spokesperson for the Embassy told ChiswickW4.com that they expected the capacity at the polling station to be sufficient this year, to process voters without any difficulties.

The police have been informed in advance and will monitor the situation from time to time. At this point in time, the Embassy has not been informed about any planned legal demonstrations or protest. However, it is possible there may be difficulties parking in the area due to extra cars.

The unexpected rise in voters in 2016 was believed to be the result of thousands of Moldovans in the UK who had entered on Romanian (EU) passports but who were also eligible to vote in their country's elections.

The Embassy was caught off guard. They had two polling days designated for the Presidential election - on the previous date, 13 October, a total of 1,100 voters were recorded. They had in no way anticipated 4,000 people would turn up in Chiswick.

Official numbers for Moldovans in the Uk were 1,500 but there may be 30,000 Moldovans with Romanian passports in the UK.

Moldova, a former Soviet state, is not a European Union member, but thousands of Moldovans acquired 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.

February 16, 2019