Opposition harassed as local elections approach - AMN

The parliamentary faction “Moldova Noastra Alliance” (AMN) requests authorities to immediately and definitively give up the totalitarian methods that limit freedoms of citizens. AMN leader Serafim Urecheanu delivered a speech in this respect before Parliament on Friday, March 16. As Urecheanu says, it is obvious that Moldova fails the democratic achievements that it had at the beginning of this decade. The present ruling coalition has prepared for the upcoming elections a system which hides a tough and direct control over the electoral and broadcasting authorities, local authorities and administrative resources, law enforcement bodies and justice on the whole. Referring to the political interference of the internal affairs system, Urecheanu presented a document issued by Police Commissioner of Cimislia raion, Ion Rotaru, revealing that political leaders and MPs pay visits and hold meetings, both authorised and unauthorised, groundlessly impeding staffs from working. AMN leader claims that there are more and more signals from different raions, members of different parties, which show that this time pressures of all kinds are put earlier and tougher on potential candidates for local elections. At the same time, the tactics of fabricating proceedings against Opposition leaders have taken proportion as well. In the end of his speech, Urecheanu mentioned that the time of these poor tricks has passed. “The Power belongs to people and those who try to obtain it by blackmail and pressure, will soon pay for this in front of the people”, AMN leader concluded. In a recent statement, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Louis O’Neill, called on Moldovan authorities to ensure equal conditions for the activities of political parties before the local elections in June. “I am deeply concerned that the impediments opposition parties seem to face may have serious implications for their ability to engage in political activities, including preparations for this year local elections”, Ambassador O’Neill stated after a meeting with the heads of six opposition parties.