The requirements concerning the protective measures against COVID-19 should be reviewed by the authorities, especially because the state of public health emergency was extended and given the current infection statistics, Carolina Cazaciuc, deputy head of the Applications Management and Invetsigation Division of the Ombudsman’s Office, stated in the public debate “Is isolation measure imposed on persons older than 63 discriminatory or not?” staged by HelpAge International Moldova.
Carolina Cazaciuc noted it is necessary to clearly specify the restrictions that are recommendatory in character and those that are mandatory. Emphasis should be laid on preventive anti-epidemic measures, such as maintaining of distance and disinfection, with the involvement of all the representatives of the state.
“The message to the state authorities is for them to persuade the people, including the elderly, that the state offers general protective measures and it is indeed a state of emergency, not manipulation, and it is everyone’s duty to protect oneself. The state should take the protection measures up to where the responsibility of each citizen starts as public health depends on each of us, not only on the decision and measures imposed by the state,” said Carolina Cazaciuc.
She also said that the ombudsman pronounced on the ban imposed on persons older than 63, who cannot leave home and stay in public places without a pressing necessity, immediately after the state of emergency was declared. The problem resides not only in age, but also in the ambiguity of the requirements stipulated in the decisions taken by the Commission for Exceptional Situations. The ombudsman made multiple approaches, seeking the clarification of requirements. An example is the notion “pressing”. This can be interpreted differently by the authorities, the people and ascertaining agents. A broader explanation is needed in this case.
The public debate was held in the framework of the project “Integration of active aging into public policies in the Republic of Moldova” that is implemented by HelpAge International and the Platform for Active Aging, with support from East Europe Foundation, in partnership with the Partnership for Development Center, with the resources provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Sweden.
