MEP Alin Antochi calls on European institutions to pay increased attention to limitation of freedom of expression in Moldova

Romanian MEP Alin Antochi (PSD) asks the European institutions to pay special attention to the alarming signals of new cases of intimidation and attempts to limit the freedom of expression in the run-up to the legislative elections, coming from the civil society in Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a communiqué released on March 11, the European MP says that the number of complaints from Opposition political parties, civil society and independent press in Moldova about intimidation acts by state bodies has increased. “Among these are violent actions aimed at hindering the activities carried out by election contenders, intimidation and forcing of the voters by different methods to support the ruling party, bias by the media outlets subordinated to the power in favor of the Communist candidates,” the communiqué says. Alin Antochi stresses that these examples add to the obstacles imposed by the Communist authorities on the political parties and people by the new electoral legislation: rise in election threshold to 6%, ban on forming electoral blocks and alliances and restrictions imposed on the persons that have dual nationality, hindering them from holding public posts, etc. “It is regretful that the recommendations of the European Parliament, the Venice Commission and the OSCE regarding the electoral legislation have been practically fully ignored by the Moldovan authorities. Such an attitude does not favor the development of the Moldova-EU partnership and questions the Communist authorities’ wish to see Moldova part of the European Union. Therefore, the progress in the talks over a new association agreement between Moldova and the EU must be correlated with the way that the legislative elections are held in this country,” the Social-Democratic MEP said. Alin Antochi says that the EU should very attentively monitor the election campaign in Moldova so that it is conducted correctly, by observing the human rights and the freedom of expression of the Moldovan people.