The Transnistrian region is one of the five regions on the map of the Council of Europe where the observance of human rights is not ensured. The fact that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found the Russian government guilty of violating human rights in the region does not free the Republic of Moldova from its responsibilities, IPN quoted the executive director of Promo-LEX Association Ion Manole as saying.

In a news conference centering on the implementation of the ECHR decisions in the Transnistrian region, staged by Promo-LEX in Chisinau on February 19, Ion Manole said the right to a fair trial includes the right to the execution of court judgments. The people in the Transnistrian region should enjoy the same rights as the rest of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and cannot be the subject of political negotiations. “Political decisions should be taken only if the human rights are respected or they are illegal,” stated Ion Manole.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Cristina Lesnic said that among the rights that are most often violated in Transnistria are the right to education, the right to private property and the freedom of movement. “The right to education is inalienable and cannot be hampered. In such conditions, the political factor is to be excluded,” stated the official.

Minister of Justice Alexandru Tanase said the Transnistrian issue is a drama of the Moldovan people that blocks the process of building a functional state. Moldova will not accept a model for settling the Transnistrian conflict based on other criteria than the constitutional ones. The authorities will reject any model for “Transnistrianizing” the country. The unconditional withdrawal by Russia of its troops from Moldova’s territory would be a precondition for building confidence between the two banks of the Nistru.

Tatiana Molcean, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and European Integration, said it is important to depoliticize the issue of human rights so as to make progress in implementing the decisions of the ECHR. The blockage that exists in some cases does not spare the Moldovan authorities from responsibility. Their solving is a priority because it concerns the people’s rights.

According to Promo-LEX, the ECHR passed 13 judgments on the commission of human rights violations in the Transnistrian region, especially by the Russian Federation. Moldova was found guilty of violating human rights in two cases. Only three decisions of the 13, with a number of about 200 plaintiffs, can be considered implemented.