Electoral risks of misusing administrative resources discussed by CReDO

The misuse of administrative resources in the electoral campaign by using public assets or funds, or by promoting public policies can influence the vote. However, every alleged instance of such misuse should be examined with scientific tools so as to draw a clear line between abuse and legitimate government intervention. This is recommended in an analysis presented today by the Human Rights Resource Center CReDO.

CReDO director Sergiu Ostaf told a press conference on this occasion that legitimate uses of administrative resources during elections cover such cases as natural disaster responses or similar emergencies. One example is the Riscani gas cylinder explosion when all kinds of administrative resources were employed. “Public institutions must intervene and obviously this does not constitute misuse of administrative resources,” says Sergiu Ostaf.

To be able to ascertain the abusive nature, one should apply a test derived from international practice and relevant documents from the Venice Commission or other bodies.

If political actors promote their electoral messages on a platform of a state institution, thus putting themselves at an advantage in the competition, this should be considered abuse. Similarly, public assets should be made available to everyone on equal, neutral terms, without giving preferential treatment to a particular political actor, explains Sergiu Ostaf.

The expert also talked about the public policy aspect of several Government decisions approved during the election campaign. According to him, these were decisions that represented a continuity of some acts adopted well before the elections were announced. And these projects can not be considered misuse of administrative resources, unlike the initiatives developed and promoted already in the campaign.

The Human Rights Resource Center will present its consolidated final report a few days after the election.