Egg throwing by ordinary people is accepted, not yet by politicians

The throwing of eggs at politicians by ordinary people is an accepted instrument, but such a practice is not accepted in the case of politicians, the executive director of the Human Rights Resource Center (CReDO) Sergiu Ostaf said in the public debates “What do politicians think about us, society, when they throw eggs, harsh replies and offensive words at each other? What do we, society, think about this type of political relations?” that were organized by Info-Prim Neo News Agency. The debates centered on the incident when the youth leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Gennady Talmaci threw eggs at the chairman of the Party of Socialists Igor Dodon in a news conference, but missed the target. Sergiu Ostaf said he often saw how eggs were thrown in other states at persons holding important positions, but it was done by ordinary people who are dissatisfied with a certain situation or a decision taken by a person. “I understand situations when the ordinary people who do not have influence and do not give models of behavior do it as they express their dissatisfaction with certain acts of the authorities. But I would never accept politicians to throw eggs,” he stated. Sergiu Coropceanu, secretary general of the Social Democratic Party, did not come to the debates even if he confirmed he will come. In a communiqué issued after the incident, the PSD said the leader of the party’s youth organization Gennady Talmaci intended to make a statement about Igor Dodon’s performance and tried to distribute leaflets to the participants in the news conference, but was ill-treated by representatives of the Party of Socialists and forced out. The police became involved and stopped the illegal acts. Oleg Lipskii, a member of the executive of the Party of Socialists, said he did not witness the incident, but knows about it from his colleagues. According to the politician, the behavior of Gennady Talmaci speaks abut his culture and the culture of those who sent him to throw eggs, if somebody sent him. Lipskii stated that on the one hand, the PSD presents itself as a party that fights for the people’s welfare, but, on the other hand, it throws eggs. “He came to the conference, saying he was a journalist. The party started to defend him and this is not an honorable act,” said the politician. Igor Botan, director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, said that such practices are dangerous. “From my viewpoint, the PSD showed that it has eggs, but cannot hit the target,” said the expert, recommending the PSD chairman Victor Shelin not to encourage the behavior of his colleague from the youth organization. The debates were held within the Development of Political Culture through Public Debates Project that is supported by the German foundation Hanns Seidel.