and transparent manner. The voting was evaluated positively, but the electoral institutions faced difficulties in processing the minutes with the voting results, due to the introduction of the new electoral system and the simultaneous conduct of the referendum”. The People's Advocate also analyzed the Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions of the ENEMO International Observation Mission for the General Local Elections of October 20, 2019, which is financially supported by the European Union, Sweden and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. According to it, the general local elections in October 2019 took place in a calm and competitive environment in general, despite the legal deficiencies in the Electoral Code. Excessive requirements in the law for the registration of independent candidates are contrary to international standards and could raise concerns about inconsistent reasons for rejecting independent candidates, which could have affected the principle of equal opportunities.30 The provisions of the Electoral Code, challenged at the Constitutional Court by the People's Advocate31, were amended by Law no. 113 of 15.08.2019, so that in the polling stations opened abroad it was allowed to vote with the identity card and the expired passport. Also, following the amendments made by the same Law32, the proportional system on party lists for the election of deputies in parliament was restored, the ban for the electoral agitation on the day of the elections and on the day before the elections was reintroduced. The People's Advocate appreciates the amendments made by Law 113 of 15.08.2019, which contributed to the advancement of women and young people in public life, by establishing the minimum representation quota of 40% for both sexes in the lists of candidates for parliamentary and local elections33, and the rules for financing political parties from the state budget, depending on the proportion of women and young people who have actually been elected in parliamentary or local elections.34. In the opinion of the Observation Mission of the Promo-LEX Association, the approval of the amendments to the existing legal framework during the electoral period had a negative impact on 30 http://enemo.eu/uploads/file-manager/ROMSTATEMENTOFPRELIMINARYFINDINGSANDCONCLUSIONS1stRound22Oct.pdf 31 Decision of the Constitutional Court no. 5 of January 14, 2019 on the Notice of the People's Advocate regarding the impossibility of voting abroad based on the identity card and the impossibility of voting abroad based on the expired passport or identity card, which was declared inadmissible by the Constitutional Court; 32 Law no. 113 of 15.08.2019 for the amendment of some legislative acts. 33 Article 46, para. (3) of the Electoral Code; 34 Article 27 of the Law on Political Parties, no. 294-XVI of 21.12.2007; 22