A number of animal rights activists criticize the way in which public consultations on the draft law that aims to create the normative framework on animal protection was debated. According to them, from the start conditions that do not resonate with the observance of human rights and violate the principle of civil society’s participation in the decision-making process were imposed.
In a news conference hosted by IPN, civic activist Anastasia Kozlovski said that on July 5 civil society was invited to public consultations. PAS MP Iulia Dascălu stated that the debate will last for 1 hour and 15 minutes and all the participants should manage to state their opinions during this period of time. “We were told directly that no criticism will be accepted and were asked to be constructive, even if being constructive means criticizing for improving. We were suggested to applaud and accept it (the legislative initiative) or nothing will change,” said the activist, noting that the MP spoke during the largest part of the debate. The representatives of the ministries and different institutions mostly approved of the bill.
“The law for which we struggle should become a basic law that will protect the rights of animals in the Republic of Moldova,” stated civic activist Leo Ogaryov, who is an animal rights advocate. “We all understand that we have serious problems with the animals at municipal level, but imagine what happens on the periphery, where this subject is regulated much worse.”
The representatives of civil society request to extend the working group dealing with the drafting of the law on animal protection. The law should be designed in accordance with the European standards with the involvement of civil society. The independent experts who work on the law should be offered access no only to documents in the official language. The official version of the text should be written in the Russian language because a number of ethnic groups living in Moldova, such as the Gagauz people, Bulgarians and Ukrainians, speak this language, stated Leo Ogaryov.
Civic activist Lidia Vinogradova noted that after the made changes, the legislative initiative became “convenient” for the authorities, but absolutely nonfunctional. There were eliminated or modified essential articles of the law, which were proposed by animal rights activists and NGOs working in the field. If the law is adopted in the presented variant, civil society will be unable to support this sector.
Civic activist Ludmila Pravdyuk said that MP Iulia Dascălu, who is one of the bill sponsors, should no longer take part in public consultations on this legislative initiative. The MP should be replaced by a person who wants the people and the animals to live well in the Republic of Moldova.
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