The Moldovan authorities should adopt a more active and categorical attitude in its demands to the Russian Federation to implemented the judgments passed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) concerning the rights of the citizens from the Transnistrian region. Even if the ECHR repeatedly found Russia guilty of violating the rights of these citizens, the Republic of Moldova is responsible for the execution of these judgments after they are passed, said the lawyer of Promo-LEX Association Nicoleta Hriplivyi.

In a press conference at IPN on January 25, Nicoleta Hriplivyi said Moldova’s obligations do not end when the ECHR passes judgements saying that it is not to blame. The Republic of Moldova is responsible for the implementation of the decisions as it is responsible for the given territory according to the international law given that the Transnistrian region forms part of the Republic of Moldova.

The lawyer said last year the ECHR passed six judgments concerning the Transnistrian region. The applications were submitted in 2002 – 2011. Each of these judgments say the pronounced decision is only for that period to which the invoked facts referred. If in the next case it is proven that Moldova didn’t take sufficient measures to remedy the situation, it can be held accountable for the next cases.

According to Nicoleta Hriplivyi, the Moldovan authorities didn’t take sufficient measures for the rights of the citizens from the Transnistrian region to stop being violated. The persons from the region continue to face the same problems. The state of affairs does not improve. On the contrary, it worsens annually and the activity space of civil society becomes narrower and harsher.

Since 1998 until 2018, the ECHR recorded over 14,200 applications against Moldova and passed 387 judgements. On December 31, 2018, 1,204 cases were pending.