Press Release
on the organization of the debate “Why do the crises in Moldova affect the European integration? View of the participants in the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Kiev. The Assembly’s Resolution on Moldova”, the 46th installment of the “Developing Political Culture by Public Debates” series held by the news agency IPN in its conference room with the support of the German Foundation “Hanns Seidel”
The 46th installment involved: Ion Manole, facilitator of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and executive director of “Promo-Lex” Association; Nadine Gogu, a member of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and director of the Independent Journalism Center; Eugen Roscovanu, a member of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and head of the Small Business Association; Lilia Carasciuc, ex-facilitator of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and director of Transparency International Moldova, promised to join in later, and Igor Botan, executive director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, an invitee to the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Kiev and the permanent expert of IPN’s project.
Instead of the traditional introduction that usually explains the necessity and topicality of the theme proposed for debate, there was presented short information about the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum that was recently held in Kiev, where a Resolution on the situation in Moldova was adopted, and particular passages from the Resolution on which the debate actually focused.
“The General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, alongside the National Platform of the Republic of Moldova, is deeply concerned about the political situation in the Republic of Moldova, which affects the European integration of the country and the democratic reformation of the state institutions.
The General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum is disappointed at the way in which the state institutions involved civil society in the dialogue to resolve the political crisis and to promote the reform agenda. We underline that such an approach to governance is destructive for the process of implementing the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU. In the course of 2015, only 21% of the activities of the 2015 plan of action for implementing the accord have been fully carried out. This indicator places Moldova last by the performance in the European integration process.
The representatives of Moldova’s delegation to the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum warn that the non-fulfillment of the obligations concerning the implementation of the Association Agreement by the Government of Moldova destroys the people’s confidence in the European Union and continues to negatively affect the EU’s image in Moldova. The state institutions’ approach to the cooperation with civil society is irresponsible and shows lack of continuity and will to implement reforms and the recommendations made by society.
….Therefore, the seventh General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum of Kiev calls on the European Union to consider taking a stricter position in relation to the representatives of Moldova’s Parliament and Government and to ask for clear evidence and progress indicators in doing reforms, especially in the fight against corruption, de-politicization of the state institutions and reduction of the media concentration.
The General Assembly also invites the EU to contribute to the involvement of civil society as a main player in the implementation of the Association Agreement and to increase its support for promoting the EU’s image in Moldova and also for combating the misinformation about the EU among the people.
Over the theme proposed for discussions, the participants said that many political crises in Moldova were generated intentionally and didn’t appear out of the blue and they seriously affect the European course. The responsibility for the current stagnation is borne both by the political class that simulates the implementation of the European agenda and by the population that does not take steps, but waits for support. In such conditions, there are no more possibilities for overcoming the current situation and civil society, which in most of the cases was used by the politicians to create an image before the foreign partners, counts a lot on the support of the development partners that could encourage the reformation process and change the Moldovan society’s perception of the EU.
Ion Manole, facilitator of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and executive director of “Promo-Lex” Association, said that in the recently held forum, the representatives of Moldova’s civil society expressed their concern about the situation in Moldova and attempts were made to identify solutions to it. For the purpose, the National Platform initiated and obtained the adoption by the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum of a Resolution on the political situation in the Republic of Moldova. In a developed society, both the political class and civil society have their own role, but cooperate between them. The Moldovan authorities have lately simulated this cooperation in order to favor the relations with the European partners. The representatives of civil society were invited to dialogue, were listened to, but nothing was done afterward and their opinions were not taken into account.
Lilia Carasciuc, ex-facilitator of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and director of Transparency International Moldova, said that in a rather short period of time, the country faced rather many crises. When the governments come and go, there is nobody who can be held responsible for what was promised. Each new government promises to take measures to combat corruption, which is one of the most acute problems, but each of them promotes their own interests, while the European integration process is delayed.
Eugen Roscovanu, a member of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and head of the Small Business Association, said that in the past Moldova seemed to be a state without problems in the social, economic and political spheres, but now civil society decided to say it loudly that this is not so. Things worsen and we can no longer keep silent to look good. Many of the witnessed phenomena and crises were generated and didn’t appear out of the blue. In an unstable and uncertain situation, it’s easier for the large companies to do business, sometimes illegally, without being afraid of being punished. It happened so in the case of the stolen billions of lei because the stealing was committed when the situation was hot.
IPN project’s permanent expert Igor Botan, executive director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, who was invited to take part in the General Assembly in Kiev, said the crises seriously affect the European integration process and this thing is visible when only 20% of the provisions of the Association Agreement were fulfilled at a time when the country signed an agreement and there is a plan of action for implementing it. The political class is mainly to blame for this stagnation because they know what they have to do, but the personal interests are the source of all evils. Society is also to blame because it tolerates these abuses of the elites that rob the people. If society does not emanate shock waves towards the governors, the country will face very serious challenges.
The Agency published 5 news stories on the debate (see the English version of www.ipn.md): on 27.11.15, „Crises in Moldova affect European integration, IPN debate” - http://www.ipn.md/en/integrare-europeana/73241; „Eugen Roscovanu: We need a new political class” - http://www.ipn.md/en/integrare-europeana/73242; „Ion Manole: Both population and authorities wait for support from EU without making much effort” - http://www.ipn.md/en/integrare-europeana/73243; “Lilia Carasciuc: Rulers change nonstop and we do not have who to hold accountable” - http://www.ipn.md/en/integrare-europeana/73245; „Igor Botan: Society and political class are responsible for what is going on now” - http://www.ipn.md/en/integrare-europeana/73246.
Valeriu Vasilica, director of IPN