ONSM pays the attention of public opinion on the intention of the Ministry of Justice to liquidate it

The leadership of the National Organisation of Scouts of Moldova (ONSM) pays the attention of the public opinion and diplomatic mission in Moldova about the intention of the Ministry of Justice (MJ) to liquidate the organisation. International Commissioner of ONSM, Iurie Emilian, said on Tuesday, during the press conference that on 8 August 2005 MJ required to the court to liquidate ONSM on the ground that for two years ONSM did not informed MJ about its activity. “We were not called in court, and when a judge of the Appeal Court, father of a scout, informed us about MJ intention, we appeared in court and said that we have nothing to hide, we are ready to present any report if it is necessary. We invited MJ employees to make a control of the organisation, and then they were reported about the activity of scouts for last 10 years, any objection was formulated”. According to Emilian, “at the moment we though that the reason of pretensions was abolished, but on 22 March, we were informed about the decision of the Ministry of Justice, Viorica Iftodi, about the refusal to register the changes made during the National Conference of Scouts, held on 11-12 January 2006, where it was elected the new leadership and it was made one change in the statute – change of juridical address. In this sense, she said, “we were presented a range of strange pretensions, including that in the statute of the organisation lack the word public, what is not true, that according to Law on public associations, member can be only children being 10 years old, while ONSM being member of the Organisation of World Movement of Scouts, can have member aged 7.” Emilian noted, “in this sense we guide ourselves of the provisions of the Constitution, stipulating the priority of international regulations towards internal laws.” Emilian expressed his confidence that the Minister of Justice “will find the force to guide according to legislation, and not according to other principles that MJ has now”. The leader of Scouts of USA, Scott A. Teare, as well as the representative of World Bureau of Scouts, Alexandr Bondari, participated in the conference, while being in a visit in Chisinau. They were satisfied with ONSM activity and mentioned that they will give all logistic support in order to clear up the problems with MJ. ONSM announced previously, in a press release, that it has informed the World Bureau of Scouts, having national organisation in 157 countries, about „absurd pretensions” of MJ in its intention to liquidate the organisation. “While country’s leadership makes effort regarding the European integration, non-thought actions of certain bureaucrats affect our image towards the international community,” according to press release. Scout Movement of Moldova has about 5,000 members, being an educational organisation of teenagers and children, apolitical and non-commercial, based on volunteers. Its main goal is to promote peace, understanding and cooperation on local, national and international levels.