MEP Monica Macovei said the Moldovan government’s reaction to the recent European Parliament’s resolution that urges to suspend any financial assistance to Moldova is ‘hypocritical”. In an interview for Radio Free Europe, quoted by IPN, the MEP said the Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc’s statements are contradictory. On the one hand, the politician says the party remains faithful to the European cause. On the other hand, he says they will no longer take the EU’s conditions into account.
“What does this mean? You remain faithful to the European cause, but will not take into account the European Union’s requirements as this is a road we all followed towards integration, didn’t we? The country’s reform itself means fulfillment of these requirements step by step or not? Do reforms in health, do reforms in the budgetary sector, make investments. By the way, the US$ 1 billion was also mentioned in the resolution, as was the judiciary and the resolution says that justice in the Republic of Moldova is selective and politicized. The journalists should not be blackmailed and so on,” stated Monica Macovei.
According to the MEP, these things should be done for Moldova first of all, for the ordinary people as they need health, education, an independent judiciary. Judicial independence means not the right of judges to do everything, including probably what the politicians say, but it is the right of the people to enjoy independent justice. The judicial system in Moldova is not independent and surely everyone is angry about the nullification of elections in Chisinau.
Monica Macovei said Vlad Plahotniuc replied by saying the European intuitions and the European Parliament help the opposition. “This is not true. No party has a majority of seats. No group has a majority. We are 751 MEPs and the European People’s Party has 270-280 MEPs. When they say that we help the opposition to come to power, I respond: “Didn’t you prevent the opposition from coming to power after the elections were free and fair”. So, you took the wrong step and we tell you: “Return as you are wrong!”, she stated, adding they do not help the opposition. Plahotniuc and his party hindered the opposition from taking over the Chisinau City Hall.
At the suggestion of the Group of the European People’s Party, the European Parliament, with 345 votes for, 160 abstentions and 35 votes against, on July 5 adopted a resolution by which it calls on the European Commission to suspend any foreseen payments of macro-financial assistance and budget support to Moldova. The MEPs consider any decision on the future payments should be taken only after the planned parliamentary elections and on condition that these are held in accordance with the internationally recognized standards and are assessed by specialized intentional organizations.
Later, the leader of the PDM Vlad Plahotniuc in a press briefing said the Republic of Moldova fully fulfilled the commitments assumed before the EU, but a group of the European Parliament that politically supports some of the Moldovan opposition parties decided to ignore the fact that the Moldovans honored their obligations, doing difficult reforms during the past few years.
