The largest number of cases lost by Moldova at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) concern the violation of the right to a fair trial, people’s ombudsman Anatol Munteanu said in the program “Place for dialogue” on Radio Moldova station, IPN reports.

According to the ombudsman, this shows that major problems persist in the Moldovan legal system. “I refer to the performance of the judiciary, the independence of justice, the postponement of hearings and the implementation of court decisions,” he stated.

Also, the ECHR found Moldova guilty of violating the right to ownership (96 cases), use of torture (8), inhuman and degrading treatment (61), violating the right to life (8). In 1997-2013, the ECHR examined 271 applications filed by Moldovans and ascertained at least one human rights violation in 249 of the cases.

“On the one hand, it’s good that the Moldovans submit so many applications to the ECHR as this shows that they want justice to be made to them and want to defend their rights. On the other hand, our people do not trust the legal system, the courts of law. It’s serious when such a right as the right to life is violated and when torture is used,” said the ombudsman.

Anatol Muntenu noted that the people’s confidence in justice should be restored. Professionals and new approaches are needed for this. “The laws remain only ink on paper if the functionaries do not obey them,” he stated