European MPs condemn violations of human rights in Moldova

The situation in the Republic of Moldova was the subject of debates at Thursday’s sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. In their speeches, the MEPs from all the groups expressed concern and condemned the violations of human rights in Moldova witnesses since the April 6-8 protests, Info-Prim Neo reports. Leaders of the Moldovan Opposition attended the debates as invitees. These included the vice president of the Liberal Party (PL) Dorin Chirtoaca, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) Vlad Filat and the president of the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) Serafim Urecheanu. They were met with applauses by the European MPs. Initially, the MEPs heard the reports of the EU Council and the European Commission on this subject and then expressed their own positions. Petr Nečas, member of the EU Council, presented a report on the post-electoral situation in Moldova, saying there are serious concerns that the human rights have been grossly violated after the protests from the start of April. Over 200 young protesters were arrested by the police, the mass media was harassed, Romanian journalists were expelled, young persons were maltreated by the police, three of whom died. Nečas said that the intention to stabilize the political situation does not justify authorities’ acts. He stated that the events should be investigated in cooperation with the European institutions, while the parties that entered the Parliament should negotiate a democratic solution to find a way out. “President Voronin must subscribe to the democratic values and condemn the violence against the protesters and journalists,” Nečas said. European commissioner Olli Rehn said that the elections in Moldova were conducted in a legal manner, but there were recorded serious irregularities: the freedom of expression was insufficiently respected, the freedom of the press was infringed, the Opposition did not have access to mass media. “The present situation in Moldova is fragile,” said Rehn. He expressed his bewilderment at the Moldova authorities’ decision to introduce a visa regime for Romanian citizens and expel the Ambassador of Romania in Chisinau. Most of the MEPs condemned the arrest and maltreatment of the protesters, the disappearance of people, the lawyers’ limited access to the arrested protesters and demanded that a European investigation commission be sent to Chisinau. They also asked considering the possibility of adopting a resolution to condemn the acts of the Moldovan government. Romanian MEP Maria Petre asked the European Parliament to take action. “Hundreds of young persons are arrested and tortured. The journalists are harassed and expelled. The Opposition says that the elections have been rigged and 10-15% of the votes have been stolen. The Moldovan people hope that the European Parliament will take attitude,” Petre said. “Moldova is a small country and it needs our help,” said Marianne Mikko, Estonian MEP from the Socialist Group. “The relations between the EU and Moldova remain important, but they should not think that the EU is naive and believes everything that the Moldovan authorities present as truth. It is important that an ad-hoc mission goes to the country. No subject should be a taboo: we want to know how the police treated the protesters after the elections,” Mikko said. Graham Watson of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe stressed that the European Parliament must examine all the Opposition’s proofs of vote rigging and the circumstances of the events that happened after elections. “Until an investigation is conducted, many will not believe the election results regardless of the conclusions of the Moldovan courts,” Watson said. A resolution on Moldova could be adopted at the next sitting of the European Parliament. From Sunday, April 26, a mission of the European Parliament will be in Moldova to investigate the created situation.