European Parliament discusses former political prisoners’ issue

Romanian MEP Maria Petre, member of the EU-Moldova delegation, requested the European Parliament to react to the encroachment upon the rights of the Romanian citizens released from Transnistria’s prisons, calling it an unprecedented case in the recent history of the European Democracy. According to the international media, Maria Petre also requested the European Parliament and European Commission to apply harsh sanctions against the Tiraspol regime and to actively get involved in finding a solution for Transnistria settlement. In her speech in the European Parliament, Petre stated that “Andrei Ivantoc’s release was done by violent means and brutal encroachment upon the human rights, upon his right to freely move to his home after 15 years of illegal imprisonment”. At the same time, a group of 8 U.S. congressmen have submitted to the House of Representatives a resolution by which Russia is requested to unconditionally withdraw the armed forces and ammunition from the Eastern districts of Moldova. The act is to be considered and voted at the U.S Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Under the cited resolution, the presence of the Russian military forces in the Transnistrian region of Moldova is a glaring violation of the country’s sovereignty. The document emphasises that Russia committed itself during the OSCE summit held in Istanbul in 1999, to withdraw its troops from Transnistria until 2002.