The president of the Party “Action and Solidarity” (PAS) Maia Sandu and the president of the Party “Platform Dignity and Truth” (PPPDA) Andrei Năstase consider the subject of the alleged financing of the opposition by the Foundation “Open Dialog” is a farce and was invented to discredit them. According to the politicians, this subject has no essence and is kept on the public agenda to distract the citizens’ attention from the real problems existing in Moldova, IPN reports.
Maia Sandu stated the participation in an event held in the European Parliament a year ago, at the initiation of several MEPs, to present the political situation in the Republic of Moldova, especially as regards the non-observance of the human rights by the government, cannot be considered violation of any provision or law, in particular concerning party funding. The current government is trying to invent all kinds of subjects to keep the people’s attention on the opposition so that they could not discuss the problems faced by Moldova. Eventually, the government creates a story that could later be used to exclude the two parties from the election campaign.
Maia Sandu said the argument provided by the parliamentary commission of inquiry to explain why the meetings were held behind closed doors is ridiculous as neither she, nor Andrei Năstase hold public posts and they thus do not have to keep the state secret. “We do not have this quality and no one can demand that we should keep the state secret. If they cannot demand this, it means that what can be shared with us, can also be shared with the press and the people,” she stated in the program “Expertise hour” on Jurnal TV channel.
For his part, Andrei Năstase said the goal of the story related to the Foundation “Open Dialog” is to discredit the PAS and PPPDA. In the absence of arguments, the government found a scarecrow in the possible financing of the opposition by “Open Dialog”. “The people who watch us should understand that we are accused of being bought a ticket from Chisinau to Brussels and back,” he stated.
“The elections are approaching in the Republic of Moldova and they had to find a scarecrow. No one understands what “Open Dialog” means. The citizens should know that this nongovernmental organization has two-three or I don’t know how many members. They are not from the Republic of Moldova, do not rule, do not steal billions and do not stage terrorist attacks. It is a scarecrow and the government disseminates this circus in the public sphere,” stated Andrei Năstase.
He noted that the parliamentary commission of inquiry consisted of two Socialists, two ex-Communist Democrats and a member of the Parliamentary European People’s Group. “These are exactly those who voted the law on the mixed electoral system, all together,” said the politician.
The commission of inquiry for elucidating the circumstances of the presupposed interference by the “Open Dialog” Foundation in Moldova’s internal affairs and financing of political parties held the second and last round of hearings on November 12. Invited to the hearings, the PAS and PPPDA came to the Parliament Building, but refused to take part in the meeting if the press didn’t have access. The commission’s chairman, Democratic MP Igor Vremea said the hearings were held behind closed doors because some of the information provided by state institutions represented state secret and the reason invoked by Maia Sandu and Andrei Năstase for not taking part in them was unserious.
