For the first time, Greeks are taking part in elections by mail, being able to cast their votes without visiting polling stations.
How writes Euronews, the Greek government assures that it takes the utmost care in ensuring security. More than 200 thousand Greeks are taking part in the European elections by voting remotely. Now it has become much easier for those people who live and work outside their home country to vote. Postal ballots can be sent from approximately 120 countries.
At one time, the opposition sharply criticized the decision of the Greek government, citing the possibility of fraud. However, the government assures that it has taken the utmost care in ensuring the anonymity and security of voting, eliminating possible violations and manipulations. Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Internal Affairs Athanasios Ballerbas says:
“In general, the level of security has been increased. The anonymous voting envelope is protected like a banknote and cannot be counterfeited. There are also electronic procedures that guarantee transparency and integrity to both voters and party observers.”
An advantage of the electoral reform is also said to be a smaller impact on the environment: those who wish to cast a vote receive not dozens of ballots, but only one, with a small booklet containing voting instructions. Euronews' Faye Dulgheri concludes:
“The percentage of abstentions in the European elections raises significant concerns. In Greece, the government, through voting by mail, wants to remove obstacles for those who want to vote, but for some objective reason will not be able to do so on the appointed day. Therefore, it is not yet clear whether the reform will have a real impact on the level of participation in elections.”
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