OAS slams politicking, vote-buying allegations during polls

Santo Domingo.- The Organization of American States (OAS) ElectoralObservation Mission in the country criticized the politicking and vote-buying allegationsnear and inside polling stations during the polls, and recommended a "deep"structural reform of the legal framework of the electoral process.

Mission leader Andrés Pastrana said the electoral law mustguarantee equality and regulate the financing of political parties, because inhis view, smaller organizations get less public funding and are less able toattract private resources.

"The model of public financing of parties and campaignin the Dominican Republic is not designed to create conditions of equity in therace," said the ex-president of Colombia when rendering the report on Sunday’selections.

He also said there’s a need to establish equal access tothe media and guarantee the right to information, so that both the parties andcandidates can make public their proposals and secure the citizen’s right to bewell-informed.

Pastrana said the misuse of technical equipment was the mainweakness during the day of voting, and prior to future elections suggests conductingdrills with proper notice, so the electoral authorities can identify andcorrect mistakes.