No former Socialist county or country of the post-Soviet space managed to integrate into the European Union without a lustration law. This law refers not only to people who undermine national security, but also to persons who attacked the democratic system. Its area of action is very wide. The lustration law offers entirely different elements than the law that was adopted by Parliament does and that introduced a formula of restrictions to prohibit particular representatives of the former Shor Party from taking part in the coming and other elections with the announced goal of “protecting democracy and statehood”. By this law, the ruling party sought only to deprive particular persons of the electoral right, while the lustration law is an organic law that can be applied both by courts of law and by the electoral bodies, journalist Ion Terguță stated in a public debate hosted by IPN.

Ion Terguță noted that democracy in the Republic of Moldova worsens constantly and indubitably. “I will not wonder if one day we will discuss aspects of dictatorship and autocracy in the Republic of Moldova as they start to appear. These elements are as clear as possible. The authors should struggle against particular members of the Shor Party who affect the country’s security, but should not diminish the basic rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution and should not limit the freedom of expression of the citizens. Moldova cannot ensure the rule of law as long as the rights of at least one person are violated.

In another development, Ion Terguță said the persons who are banned from standing as a candidate at elections can act as political organizers and this is even more serious than running in elections. These persons are not at the forefront. The risks they face are smaller, but they are yet free to act. “If money is distributed in a locality by an election contender, the sector police officer is the first who should examine his case and inform the prosecutor, while the prosecutor conducts an investigation and starts a criminal case and the given election contender can be penalized. This is the only legal procedure that exists in the legislation of the Republic of Moldova and that has never been applied,” stated the journalist.

“If our police enforce the law and determine who and how much money offered to whom, these persons can be investigated, can be taken as witnesses, not necessarily accused. Our people are poor and take bribe from everyone. If they are included in a case, the consequences will be much greater and the process of fighting electoral corruption will be clear,” said Ion Terguță, noting that he hasn’t seen a report on voter corruption drawn up by a police officer in a Moldovan locality, even if it’s known that voter fraud is a widespread practice.

The public debate entitled “Harshness of the law and “teeth” of democracy in elections” was the second installment of the series “Stimulation of discussion in the mass media about traditional particularities of local elections and the need for Europeanization” that is staged by IPN News Agency with support from Soros Foundation Moldova.