EU Diplomats accredited in Moldova plead for free and fair elections on June 3

The foreign diplomats are interested in free and fair elections in Moldova. A delegation which included the head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Moldova, Cesare de Montis, ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Germany, Wolfgang Lerke, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, John Bayer, Poland, Krzystof Suprowicz, Romania, Filip Teodorescu, as well as the representatives of the Embassy of Bulgaria, Czech Republic and France in Moldova met on May 24 with the chairman of the Central Election Commission Eugen Stirbu, deputy-chairman Renata Lapti and the secretary of the Commission Iurie Ciocan. According to a press release of the CEC, the collocutors discussed issues related to the organisation of the local general elections on June 3. There were also approached issues regarding electoral rolls, the petitions sent to CEC and the way they are examined, the cooperation with the civil society in the process of organising free and fair elections. In this respect, the parties analysed the main conclusions of the reports made public by the Coalition-2007. According to the same source, it was agreed that the diplomats of the European Union accredited in Moldova will pay a repeated visit to CEC. The foreign diplomats said they are willing to collaborate and provide the necessary assistance to the Central Election Commission. A joint statement of the diplomatic missions about the trends related to the freedom of media in Moldova issued in March, said that the upcoming local elections will be yet another test for Moldovan democracy and political leadership. “We are concerned, on the eve of these elections, that the ability of the media to report and comment freely on the elections is becoming restricted. Furthermore, the functions of the regulatory bodies are not yet effective in guaranteeing the application of spirit of the law”. The signatories recalled the commitment undertaken by Moldova under the EU–Moldova Action Plan and other international agreements including the call to the unrestricted flow of information enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to develop a truly vibrant and free media. “Freedom of the media is the basis of a functioning democracy”, the statement says. The signatories called on Moldova to adhere fully to its obligations to the OSCE, EU and Council of Europe as well as other international commitments and on all bodies concerned to implement fully international standards on media freedom, so that the Moldovan people receive the free and unfettered the views of all sides in the election campaign.