The Central Election Commission and UNDP Moldova conducted a BRIDGE workshop on Strategic and Financial Planning from March 29 – April 2 in Chisinau, Moldova.

Moldova is in a period of uncertainly regarding the electoral process. Parliamentary elections in April 2009 were met with some allegations of fraud from domestic sources and civil unrest in the capital.

When the newly elected parliament was unable to select a president, new elections were triggered in July 2009.  The parliament was again unable to elect a president, and elections may again be held. The parliamentary threshold was lowered for the July polls, and there are a number of other electoral reforms being explored.

In light of these electoral uncertainties, the CEC is undertaking a strategic planning process with an aim to create an institution able to handle the challenges ahead.  The BRIDGE workshop was timed and designed to maximise the contribution to the planning process. The agenda was a comprehensive implementation of all aspects of the module, and focused on critical review of the organization including the budgeting process, the organizational chart, and the management systems as well as a strategic planning simulation in line with the module, including a stakeholder analysis and strategic issues evaluation.

The course was facilitated by Renata LAPTI, Vice President of the CEC, Iurie CIOCAN, Secretary of the CEC, Doina BORDEIANU, Director of the Department of Civic Education, Training and Secretary, Olya AZATYAN, and Skye CHRISTENSEN, both of UNDP. Renata, Iurie, and Doina all received full accreditation on the completion of the workshop. Participants included CEC staff and representatives from local authorities involved with elections. Representatives from IFES – Moldova also actively participated in the training.

In an unusual arrangement to minimize the impact on CEC operational capacity, the trainings were held each day in the afternoon from 13.00 until approximately 19.00. Though the long days were tiring, the schedule allowed the participants to work in the mornings.

This workshop was provided in the framework of the Electoral Support to Moldova Project Funded by the European Union, co-funded and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

http://aceproject.org/today/feature-articles/bridge-strategic-and-financial-planning-workshop

More information on CEC: www.cec.md

More information on the UNDP Electoral Support to Moldova Project http://www.undp.md/projects/electoral_assistance.shtml