Javier Solana expected to Chisinau today

The Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana is expected to arrive in Chisinau later today. Towards the end of the day, he will have meetings with the outgoing President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, the Speaker of the previous Parliament Marian Lupu and representatives of the three Opposition parties that entered the Parliament, Info-Prim Neo reports. The official will discuss the present situation in Moldova and the prospects of strengthening the relations between Moldova and the EU, says the communiqué from the presidential press service, which informs about the visit of the European official. The leaders of the three Opposition parties – the PL, PLDM and AMN – will have a meeting with Javier Solana at 16.30 before the meeting with President Vladimir Voronin, which will start at 18.00. Earlier, Vladimir Voronin and the Opposition asked the international organizations to hold an independent inquiry into the April 7 events. Solana said then they will examine their request without delay. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg will also be paying a visit to Moldova between April 24 and 28. He will have meetings with the senior authorities, representatives of the public authorities and of the Human Rights Center. After the visit, the CE Commissioner will present a report at the plenary sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on April 29, 2009.