Important
Weekly Roundup: Kozak is back, EU Council concerned about Moldova, Shor threatens with a belt
The Weekly Roundup is back after a two weeks break. Sorry about that, the world outside the window was more attractive to the editor that the news in Moldova.
Protests of the opposition continue: The pro-European extra-Parliamentary opposition parties, united under the ACUM Committee, continue their protests in Chișinău, asking for the validation of the Chișinău mayor election results and the reform of the electoral law for the Parliamentary elections which are expected to take place after 30 November this year, but before February 2019.
Protests against the opposition: Infamous banker, businessman, and Orhei mayor, Ilan Shor, gathered his supporters this week in front of the office of PAS party. Shor and his fellas condemned the declarations of the Liberal-Democrats and opposition leaders Maia Sandu and Andrei Năstase, who suggested Shor’s so-called “social shops” should be regarded as tools to launder the latter from the image of the “billion thief”.
Dionis Cenușa argues in an opinion piece that Shor’s protest is just an attempt to get public attention ahead of the Parliamentary elections and to hit the opposition leader Maia Sandu who criticized him for being the “architect of the billion theft”. His 80 (or so) social shops represent tools to use the poor, aged electorate in his penal and political cases.
Shor went further by threatening Sandu and Năstase with a belt in a Facebook video but also promising “lustration” to “every journalist” who “wrote bad things” about this protests. We can ignore the high price of the belt- Shor was and is known to be rich enough-, but the threatening part is how he promises to use the belt- by slapping Sandu’s and Năstase’s buttocks. Funny or not, it is true:
The media NGOs already condemned Shor’s threats.
Liberal Democrats ask the Constitutional Court to step in: The Liberal-Democratic caucus in the Moldovan Parliament and one Liberal, MP Lilian Carp, asked the Constitutional Court to give its opinion on whether courts can issue decisions on electoral frauds when there are no legal provisions on a specific type of frauds, and whether courts can annul election results if they are not asked to.
The complaint comes after Andrei Năstase’s election as Chișinău mayor was canceled based on a complaint of his opponent to consider three Facebook videos in which Năstase calls on the voters to go out and vote for whoever they want as a deviation from the law.
EU Foreign Affairs Ministers concerned about the situation in Moldova: The EU’s Foreign Affairs Council underlined the need to step up reforms in governance, justice, the fight against corruption, economic reform and the business environment in the six Eastern Partnership countries, reports IPN.
The foreign ministers underlined “the need to step up reforms in areas such as governance, justice, the fight against corruption, economic reform and the business environment”, especially in Moldova.
The new IRI survey is out and it reveals interesting trends: Support for EU membership is slightly increasing, Moldovans are unsatisfied with the pace of change in the country, Dodon’s rating is stagnating (it’s summer though, the President spends more time for trips than for crises of trust in governmental institutions), Democrats are not doing well in polls.
More details and pictures in our article:
IRI Survey: 46% of Moldovans would vote for joining the European Union, 36%- Eurasian Union
One finger thick asphalt:
150 meters of a road in the Varvareuca village in Moldova were paved with one finger asphalt layer. Locals reported that the asphalt can be taken out with the hand. The company in charge already promised to repair the road with its own money. The road reparation was part of the bigger project of the Moldovan Democrats on the village roads.
80/270: Moldova’s Parliament recently approved the agreement on the 80 million euros loan from the EBRD for the electricity interconnection with Romania. The project containing a BtB station in Vulcănești, a 400kV line between Vulcănești and Chișinău, the expansion of the station in Chișinău and the extension of the Vulcănești station to 400 kV.
The investment, partly covered by EIB, EBRD, WB loans and an EU grant, will cost 270 million euros and is expected to be recovered from the transport tariff.
1032,9 minutes: That’s how much time a truck spends on average at the most crowded and most used border checkpoints of Moldova, reads a “Moldova’s trade corridors assessment” report concluded by Nathan Associates and financed by the USAID.
The report shows that the 90% of Moldova’s goods exports rely on the road infrastructure and road transport. Leușeni-Albița checkpoint at the Moldovan-Romanian border accounts for 23% of the total crossings by delivery trucks. Although recognizing Moldova’s favourable geographical position, the experts underlined that the country lacks transportation and logistics infrastructure that would foster the trade, especially through the Romanian border- where the biggest trade barriers are found. The average waiting time for trucks crossing from Moldova to Romania can be even 16 times longer than in other 23 EU-nonEU border crossings.
Number of trucks crossing the checkpoints
The key issues affecting Moldova’s trade corridors are reported to be: Poor and insufficient infrastructure, Trade facilitation and border delays, Asymmetrical information in markets and lack of information systems, Lack of affordable and sustainable financing.
The authors of the report recommend the following solutions for ensuring the development of Moldova’s trade corridors:
1. Improving the Logistics Sector’s Institutional Effectiveness
2. Ensuring Supportive Policies and Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks
3. Improving Trade Facilitation
4. Developing Efficient and Productive Infrastructure
5. Providing an Efficient Transport Logistics System
6. Facilitating Sustainable Financing
7. Logistics Sector Promotion
We obtained a copy of the report summary.
Rise of illiberal civil society in the former Soviet Union?
A report of the UK-based Foreign Policy Centre shows a significant of the so-called “illiberal” civil society groups in countries like Moldova.
The pieces on Moldova reveal the groups of “illiberal” thinking: the far right, conservative groups and the Church, but also the socially conservative (at least, publicly recognized) parties such as the Socialists’ Party.
The authors of the report recommend the respective authorities to:
- Take urgent measures to tackle corruption and improve transparency;
- Investigate attacks on minorities and scrap any partnerships with nationalist groups involved;
- Protect the ability of liberal civil society groups to operate freely without intimidation;
- Disband any armed militias affiliated to political parties or extremist groups.
At the same time, the authors argue that the international community should:
- Increase political pressure and sanctions on the activities of ostensible ‘pro-European’ or ‘liberal’
allies whose corruption or malpractice brings such principles into disrepute; - Insist on action to tackle hate crimes and offer greater support and resources to do so if political
willingness to act can be ensured; - Look for opportunities for diplomatic dialogue with the dominant religious institutions;
- Continue to refine and improve ‘myth-busting’ and anti-propaganda responses;
- Support efforts to improve survey and research data about illiberal civil society attitudes;
- Work with liberal minded NGOs to find new ways to engage the ‘movable middle’.
56: Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service has identified 56 Moldovan citizens who had been or are working as mercenaries in Eastern Ukraine since the start of the conflict in 2014.
Kozak is back: Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak was earlier in the month appointed as the Russian
presidential special representative for developing trade and economic relations with Moldova.
“I hope that he [Kozak] – with his expertise – will be capable of promoting our cooperation substantially,” Putin told Dodon, as quoted by TASS.
Dmitry Kozak is known for his role as a special envoy to Moldova in early 2000s on the Transnistrian issue. Back in 2003, Kozak tried to conclude a memorandum that would define a political settlement to the Transnistrian conflict, a settlement including the federalization of Moldova, seen with high skepticism from Chișinău and the entire right bank.
ECtHR: Russia found guilty of violating rights to property, remedy of 1646 landowners and 3 companies in Transnistria, Moldova
ECtHR: Russia guilty of ill-treatment, poor detention conditions of 5 Moldova policemen in Transnistria
“Neutral” number plates for Transnistrian cars: The Moldovan Parliament adopted in the first reading the law on the registration of Transnistrian cars in Moldova. Without paying an import tax, the Transnistrian residents will be able to travel internationally with the help of the so-called “neutral” number plates. They don’t look very neutral though:
Over and out!
https://gov.md/ro/content/reprezentantii-chisinaului-comisia-unificata-de-control-insista-pe-eliminare
Important
#WorldForUkraine – a map that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against Russian aggression
The international community and volunteers from all over te world have launched #WorldForUkraine as a platform that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against the Russian aggression. In a digital world – it is an interactive map of public support of Ukrainians under the hashtag #WorldForUkraine – rallies, flash mobs, protests around the world. In the physical dimension – it is your opportunity to take to the streets and declare: “No to Putin’s aggression, no to war.”
„Today, along with the political and military support, emotional connection with the civilized world and truthful information are extremely important for Ukraine. The power to do it is in your hands. Join the #WorldForUkraine project and contribute to the victorious battle against the bloodshed inflicted on Ukraine by the aggression of the Russian Federation”, says the „about the project” section of the platform.
Go to the streets — Tell people — Connect and Unite — Become POWERFUL
Volunteers have launched #WorldForUkraine as a platform that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against Russian aggression. In digital world – it is an INTERACTIVE MAP of public support of Ukrainians worldforukraine.net under the hashtag #WorldForUkraine – rallies, flash mobs, protests around the world. In the physical dimension – it is your opportunity to take to the streets and declare: “No to Putin’s aggression, no to war.” There you may find information about past and future rallies in your city in support of Ukraine. This is a permanent platform for Ukrainian diaspora and people all over the world concerned about the situation in Ukraine.
So here’s a couple of things you could do yourself to help:
* if there is a political rally in your city, then participate in it and write about it on social media with geolocation and the hashtag #WorldForUkraine
* if there are no rallies nearby, organize one in support of Ukraine yourself, write about it on social media with geolocation adding the hashtag #WorldForUkraine
The map will add information about gathering by #WorldForUkraine AUTOMATICALLY
Your voice now stronger THAN ever
All rallies are already here: https://worldforukraine.net
Important
How is Moldova managing the big influx of Ukrainian refugees? The authorities’ plan, explained
From 24th to 28th of February, 71 359 Ukrainian citizens entered the territory of Republic of Moldova. 33 173 of them left the country. As of this moment, there are 38 186 Ukrainian citizens in Moldova, who have arrived over the past 100 hours.
The Moldovan people and authorities have organized themselves quickly from the first day of war between Russia and Ukraine. However, in the event of a prolonged armed conflict and a continuous influx of Ukrainian refugees, the efforts and donations need to be efficiently managed. Thus, we inquired about Moldova’s long-term plan and the state’s capacity to receive, host, and treat a bigger number of refugees.
On February 26th, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Moldova approved the Regulation of organization and functioning of the temporary Placement Center for refugees and the staffing and expenditure rules. According to the Regulation, the Centers will have the capacity of temporary hosting and feeding at least 20 persons, for a maximum of 3 months, with the possibility of extending this period. The Centers will also offer legal, social, psychological, and primary medical consultations to the refugees. The Center’s activity will be financed from budget allocations, under Article 19 of Provision no. 1 of the Exceptional Situations Commission from February 24th, 2022, and from other sources of funding that do not contravene applicable law.
The Ministry of Inner Affairs and the Government of Moldova facilitated the organization of the volunteers’ group “Moldova for Peace”. Its purpose is to receive, offer assistance and accommodation to the Ukrainian refugees. The group is still working on creating a structure, registering and contacting volunteers, etc. It does not activate under a legal umbrella.
Lilia Nenescu, one of the “Moldova for Peace” volunteers, said that the group consists of over 20 people. Other 1700 registered to volunteer by filling in this form, which is still available. The group consists of several departments:
The volunteers’ department. Its members act as fixers: they’re responsible for connecting the people in need of assistance with the appropriate department. Some of the volunteers are located in the customs points. “The Ministry of Inner Affairs sends us every day the list of the customs points where our assistance is needed, and we mobilize the volunteers”, says Lilia Nenescu.
The Goods Department manages all the goods donated by the Moldavian citizens. The donations are separated into categories: non-perishable foods and non-food supplies. The volunteers of this department sort the goods into packages to be distributed.
The Government intends to collect all the donations in four locations. The National Agency for Food Safety and the National Agency for Public Health will ensure mechanisms to confirm that all the deposited goods comply with safety and quality regulations.
The Service Department operates in 4 directions and needs the volunteer involvement of specialists in psychology, legal assistance (the majority of the refugees only have Ukrainian ID and birth certificates of their children); medical assistance; translation (a part of the refugees are not Ukrainian citizens).
According to Elena Mudrîi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, so far there is no data about the number of Covid-19 positive refugees. She only mentioned two cases that needed outpatient medical assistance: a pregnant woman and the mother of a 4-day-old child.
The Accommodation Department. The volunteers are waiting for the centralized and updated information from the Ministry of Labor about the institutions offering accommodation, besides the houses offered by individuals.
The Transport Department consists of drivers organized in groups. They receive notifications about the number of people who need transportation from the customs points to the asylum centers for refugees.
The municipal authorities of Chișinău announced that the Ukrainian children refugees from the capital city will be enrolled in educational institutions. The authorities also intend to create Day-Care Centers for children, where they will be engaged in educational activities and will receive psychological assistance. Besides, the refugees from the municipal temporary accommodation centers receive individual and group counseling.
In addition to this effort, a group of volunteers consisting of Ana Gurău, Ana Popapa, and Andrei Lutenco developed, with the help of Cristian Coșneanu, the UArefugees platform, synchronized with the responses from this form. On the first day, 943 people offered their help using the form, and 110 people asked for help. According to Anna Gurău, the volunteers communicate with the Government in order to update the platform with the missing data.
Translation from Romanian by Natalia Graur
A new football club has earned a leading place in the UEFA Champions League groups and starred in the headlines of worldwide football news yesterday. The Football Club Sheriff Tiraspol claimed a win with the score 2-1 against Real Madrid on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. That made Sheriff Tiraspol the leader in Group D of the Champions League, including the football club in the groups of the most important European interclub competition for the first time ever.
International media outlets called it a miracle, a shock and a historic event, while strongly emphasizing the origin of the team and the existing political conflict between the two banks of the Dniester. “Football club from a pro-Russian separatist enclave in Moldova pulls off one of the greatest upsets in Champions League history,” claimed the news portals. “Sheriff crushed Real!” they said.
Moldovans made a big fuss out of it on social media, splitting into two groups: those who praised the team and the Republic of Moldova for making history and those who declared that the football club and their merits belong to Transnistria – a problematic breakaway region that claims to be a separate country.
Both groups are right and not right at the same time, as there is a bunch of ethical, political, social and practical matters that need to be considered.
Is it Moldova?
First of all, every Moldovan either from the right or left bank of Dniester (Transnistria) is free to identify himself with this achievement or not to do so, said Vitalie Spranceana, a sociologist, blogger, journalist and urban activist. According to him, boycotting the football club for being a separatist team is wrong.
At the same time, “it’s an illusion to think that territory matters when it comes to football clubs,” Spranceana claimed. “Big teams, the ones included in the Champions League, have long lost their connection both with the countries in which they operate, and with the cities in which they appeared and to which they linked their history. […] In the age of globalized commercial football, teams, including the so-called local ones, are nothing more than global traveling commercial circuses, incidentally linked to cities, but more closely linked to all sorts of dirty, semi-dirty and cleaner cash flows.”
What is more important in this case is the consistency, not so much of citizens, as of politicians from the government who have “no right to celebrate the success of separatism,” as they represent “the national interests, not the personal or collective pleasures of certain segments of the population,” believes the political expert Dionis Cenusa. The victory of FC Sheriff encourages Transnistrian separatism, which receives validation now, he also stated.
“I don’t know how it happens that the “proud Moldovans who chose democracy”, in their enthusiasm for Sheriff Tiraspol’s victory over Real Madrid, forget the need for total and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistria!” declared the journalist Vitalie Ciobanu.
Nowadays, FC Sheriff Tiraspol has no other choice than to represent Moldova internationally. For many years, the team used the Moldovan Football Federation in order to be able to participate in championships, including international ones. That is because the region remains unrecognised by the international community. However, the club’s victory is presented as that of Transnistria within the region, without any reference to the Republic of Moldova, its separatist character being applied in this case especially.
Is it a victory?
In fact, FC Sheriff Tiraspol joining the Champions League is a huge image breakthrough for the Transnistrian region, as the journalist Madalin Necsutu claimed. It is the success of the Tiraspol Club oligarchic patrons. From the practical point of view, FC Sheriff Tiraspol is a sports entity that serves its own interests and the interests of its owners, being dependent on the money invested by Tiraspol (but not only) oligarchs.
Here comes the real dilemma: the Transnistrian team, which is generously funded by money received from corruption schemes and money laundering, is waging an unequal fight with the rest of the Moldovan football clubs, the journalist also declared. The Tiraspol team is about to raise 15.6 million euro for reaching the Champions League groups and the amounts increase depending on their future performance. According to Necsutu, these money will go directly on the account of the club, not to the Moldovan Football Federation, creating an even bigger gab between FC Sheriff and other football clubs from Moldova who have much more modest financial possibilities.
“I do not see anything useful for Moldovan football, not a single Moldovan player is part of FC Sheriff Tiraspol. I do not see anything beneficial for the Moldovan Football Federation or any national team.”
Is it only about football?
FC Sheriff Tiraspol, with a total estimated value of 12.8 million euros, is controlled by Victor Gusan and Ilya Kazmala, being part of Sheriff Holding – a company that controls the trade of wholesale, retail food, fuels and medicine by having monopolies on these markets in Transnistria. The holding carries out car trading activities, but also operates in the field of construction and real estate. Gusan’s people also hold all of the main leadership offices in the breakaway region, from Parliament to the Prime Minister’s seat or the Presidency.
The football club is supported by a holding alleged of smuggling, corruption, money laundering and organised crime. Moldovan media outlets published investigations about the signals regarding the Sheriff’s holding involvement in the vote mobilization and remuneration of citizens on the left bank of the Dniester who participated in the snap parliamentary elections this summer and who were eager to vote for the pro-Russian socialist-communist bloc.
Considering the above, there is a great probability that the Republic of Moldova will still be represented by a football club that is not identified as being Moldovan, being funded from obscure money, growing in power and promoting the Transnistrian conflict in the future as well.
Photo: unknown
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