Moldova’s governmental agent to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Lilian Apostol underlined the necessity of strengthening the capacities to examine at national level the applications that reach the High Court and of preventing the commission of violations. Lilian Apostol told a news conference that Moldova continues to be among the countries that file the largest number of complaints to the ECHR. However, dynamics show a decrease in the number of complains against Moldova examined by the High Court.
Of the total number of applications submitted against Moldova, only about 10-15% appear before the ECHR. Lilian Apostol explained that many of the citizens going to the ECHR perceive this court as another court in which they can challenge the decisions of the national courts. “The European Court does not play such a role. It does not deal with such applications. It examines particular matters through the angle of the European Convention on Human Rights that do not refer to the disputing of an administrative act,” he stated.
The number of violations identified in 2014 is slightly higher than in 2013, but is lower compared with the figures for 2009-2013. The largest number of examined applications refer to the inhuman conditions in detention places and the non-implementation of court decisions. For the first time in the case of Moldova, the ECHR last year ascertained challenges in the criminal proceedings and problems in implementing decisions in civil lawsuits for ensuring child custody.
The governmental agent said the number of applications concerning the violation of rights in the Transnistrian region is on the rise. Seventeen cases referring to Transnistria were communicated in 2014. “The applications coming from the Transnistrian region are a very sensitive subject. Moldova does not control the region and cannot prevent certain violations committed there, but the number of applications submitted by Transnistrians goes up,” said Lilian Apostol.
As regards the size of damages, the amounts awarded in 2014 were lower. Last year Moldova paid 8.7 million lei damages, as opposed to 10.3 million lei in 2013.
