The electoral period for this year’s parliamentary elections has started on Tuesday, according to the calendar approved by a Government decision.

The main milestones of this period are the setting up of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) and the appointment of the BEC president, the submission of lists of candidates and independent candidates and their final status, the start of the electoral campaign and the conduct of the elections for Romanians in the country and those in the diaspora.

The electoral calendar for the December 1 parliamentary elections provides:

* on September 4 – the appointment of judges to the Central Electoral Bureau will take place in a public meeting, by drawing lots among the sitting judges of the High Court of Cassation and Justice

* within 24 hours of the investiture – on September 5 – election of the president of the Central Electoral Bureau and his deputy, by secret ballot

* within 24 hours of the election of the president of the Central Electoral Bureau – 6 September – the Central Electoral Bureau is completed with the president and vice-presidents of the Permanent Electoral Authority, one representative each of the parliamentary political parties, as well as with the representative appointed by the Parliamentary Group of National Minorities in the Chamber of Deputies on behalf of the organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities that are members of the Group

* no later than 24 hours from the date of the establishment of the BEC – September 7 – the Permanent Electoral Authority must communicate to the BEC the number of voters registered in the Electoral Register and the minimum number of signatures required to support the candidates at national level, as well as in each constituency

* no later than 48 hours after the expiry of the deadline for the establishment of the Central Electoral Bureau, at the latest on 8 September – political parties, political alliances, electoral alliances, organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities, as well as independent candidates may lodge appeals against the manner of formation and composition of the Central Electoral Bureau; the appeals are settled by the High Court of Cassation and Justice

* within 5 days of the establishment of the BEC, no later than September 10, the protocols for the constitution of electoral alliances are submitted

* at the latest 60 days before the election date (deadline October 2 ) – the submission of lists of candidates and independent candidates for the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies in the electoral constituency for Romanian citizens domiciled or residing abroad, as well as the submission of lists of candidates of organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities for all electoral constituencies

* at the latest 45 days before the election date (deadline October 17) – political parties, political alliances, electoral alliances or organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities participating in the elections and independent candidates may submit lists of candidates and independent candidates for the Senate and Chamber of Deputies in the constituencies of the country

* November 1 – the electoral campaign for parliamentary elections begins

* on November 30, at 7.00, the electoral campaign ends

* Also on November 30, at 7.00, local time, the first day of voting abroad begins, ending at 21.00 local time.

* on December 1, at 7.00, the voting process begins at home and the second day of voting abroad, which will end at 21.00.

AGERPRES