The Personal Representative of the Italian OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, Rabbi Andrew Baker praised Moldova for the steps taken over the past year to implement the Action Plan for 2017-2019 in the field of Holocaust education and remembrance. The official concluded his three-day trip to Moldova during which he met with representatives from the government, the parliament, and the Jewish community to discuss the progress of the implementation of the Action Plan, IPN reports, with reference to a press release of the OSCE Mission to Moldova.
Andrew Baker commended the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research for taking the initiative to change the school history curriculum to reflect accurately the Holocaust in the local context. “Now as the important work begins to implement those changes and revise text books, I am happy to note that the OSCE Mission to Moldova will offer to the Ministry expert assistance to that end. Better understanding of history, including the Holocaust, will promote the culture of tolerance and inclusivity among the young generation in Moldova,” he said. He also welcomed the decision of the Ministry to follow through with its pledge to establish a Jewish history museum in Chisinau in close co-operation with the Jewish community.
Rabbi Baker was encouraged by the decision of the parliament to organize a public hearing on the progress of the implementation of the Action Plan in July 2018. In a meeting with the Head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Rights and Inter-Ethnic Relations, Vladimir Turcan, he called upon Moldovan authorities to ensure allocation of adequate funding for its proper implementation. He also underlined the importance of penalizing hate crimes and denial of the Holocaust and urged the adoption of legislation that will clearly address this problem.
On the issue of the communal property, the Jewish community informed Rabbi Baker about the amicable settlement agreement on the Rabbi Tsirilson Synagogue case reached in September 2017. The Rabbi expressed hope that the agreement will be fully implemented with the issuance of the construction permits as a first step, which will allow the Jewish community to proceed with the restoration of this historic building. Rabbi Baker also urged the government to move to a broader discussion about restitution of the Jewish communal properties.
“During my visit, I urged my interlocutors in the parliament, the government and civil society to build on their achievements and further promote education and remembrance of the Holocaust as well as the importance of inter-ethnic tolerance in Moldova,” Rabbi Baker said.
