Institute for Public Policy’s prompt statement saved 600,000 Euro of the Public Budget: the Permanent Electoral Authority no longer purchased a 1.000.000 Euro soft for countering elections’ votes but one costing 3 times less

Bucharest, May 28, 2009 ■ The Romanian Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA) finally purchased the soft for countering citizens’ votes in elections for European Parliament of June 7th. The price of 340,000 Euro without VAT was 3 times cheaper that the initial amount publicly announced by the Authority when planning the aquisition. Two weeks ago, learning about this situation, the Institute for Public Policy from Romania called the Romanian authorities to start investigating PEA’s intention to purchase a soft of 1,000,000 Euro although it had an already paid soft costing 700,000 Euro used during the Parliamentaru elections of November 2008. The difference of characteristics  between the two softs were minor. IPP also asked for the dismissal of the Vicepresident of the PEA, Mr. Marian Muhulet as he was responsible for such decision. n Muhuleţ.

The serious decrease of the acquisition price is obviously related to IPP’s public criticise with regards to a potential abuse of PEA representatives in exercising the public position that affects the public interest. Such abuses unfortunately happen in Romania especially during electoral campaigns when authorities and political parties are rather preocupied with electoral matters, the civil society critics have a smaller impact. More important, acquisitions of such kind are on purpose conducted during the very last moment so that signing the contracts will look as if it saved a crisis situation. Also eventual contests could hardly be issued and addressed.

IPP call for further attention on that PEA plan had the expected impact. The Institute further calls for immediate evaluation of the PEA performance in Romania once European Elections results will be released. Purchasing soft that are not necessarily useful for a country that currently deals with serious economic challenges or not assuming the important role of educating citizens about the importance of the European elections are just two relevant arguments that ustify the need of promptly evaluating this Autority performance in the near future, adopting all ferms needed decisions including the replacement of the current leaders with professional staff. We call political parties to start addressing the problems of the Autority as it is primarily responsible for the drecrease of citizens’ interest in elections.

 For further relations, please contact Adrian Moraru, Deputy Director at +4  021 212 3126/7 or e-mail: adrian@ipp.ro