Politics
2008 report: Electoral climate in the Republic of Moldova
Reading Time: 4 minutesStatement at the European Parliament’s hearing on Moldova (August 25, 2008; Brussels)
By Liliana Viţu*, Statement at the European Parliament’s hearing on Moldova (August 25, 2008; Brussels)
General parliamentary elections are expected to be called in mid March 2009. The next parliament will elect a new President as the second and last tenure of President Vladimir Voronin comes to an end.
A number of amendments to the Electoral Code were passed recently by the ruling Communists’ Party (CPRM) and Christian-Democrat Peoples’ Party (CDPP): the threshold was increased from 4% to 6%, pre-electoral blocks were prohibited and restrictions to persons holding dual citizenship were introduced. These amendments were criticized by national and international organizations. In particular, the Venice Commission recommended 5% as an optimal electoral threshold for Moldova. European officials also expressed concerns over the worsening democratic environment as regards a free and conscientious choice by citizens .
Following the adoption of a new Law on Political Parties in December 2007, all parties have to run national conferences and congresses in order to adjust the statutes and other related documents to the new legal requirements. Besides driving parties away from their work with voters and election preparations, this raises concerns as to the approval process of all new documents by the Ministry of Justice. Opposition parties fear not to be able to run for parliament in case of allegedly delays by authorities. Also, the new law sets a minimum of 4000 members for a party to be (re)registered – still considered a high number for a small country of 3.4 million people (including up to 1 million who lives abroad) and a provision that runs against the democratic right to association.
Under the same law, parliamentary political parties will start receiving state funding as of 1st July 2009 proportional to the number of seats acquired. After 2011 local elections, parties with more than 50 councillor seats at regional (rayon) level will also benefit from state funding. Opposition accused the CPRM and CDPP of disfavouring other parties, claiming that financing should have started at the beginning of 2008 so that the parties could have strengthened prior to the campaign. Given the poor state of political party system development in Moldova, the above-mentioned changes will negatively impact the capacities of opposition parties to run and accede to the parliament.
Primary opposition party leaders, Dorin Chirtoacă, Mihai Ghimpu (Liberal Party), Serafim Urechean ("Our Moldova Alliance" Party), Vlad Filat (Liberal-Democratic Party), Nicolae Andronic (Republican Peoples’ Party) accused repeatedly CPRM and its ally CDPP of harassment and pressures via "fabricated" criminal cases by law enforcement institutions and manipulation through loyal media outlets.
The June 2007 local elections led to a major defeat by CPRM in more than a half of regions where opposition coalitions were created. In particular, the victory of young Liberal Party vice-president, Dorin Chirtoacă, in Chisinau capital city against the CPRM candidate caused harsh attacks from the President Vladimir Voronin’s side. He warned the opposition-led regions of cuts in central budget allocations for infrastructure development purposes, discriminatorily and unevenly distributing central budgets to the Communist-led regions and villages, thus punishing citizens for their vote. The usage of administrative resources in the pre-electoral period continues to raise concerns among independent observers and, if not reduced and/or removed, will certainly be listed as a negative feature in international election monitoring reports.
Furthermore, a number of opposition-led coalitions at regional level collapsed during this year due to internal fights and pressure from CPRM councillors. In Chisinau Municipal Council, CPRM and CDPP managed to disjoint the opposition led coalition under dubious legal circumstances and to secure a new coalition with the help of Social-Democratic councillors. The policy pursuit by the ruling party was one of disputes and undermining power of local authorities rather than based on cooperation and decentralisation of local governance. The same principles and tactics are applied in relations between the central government and the Territorial Administrative Unit Gagauzia, led by Mihail Formuzal, one of the leaders of opposition Republican Peoples’ Party.
Voters abroad were constantly ignored since late 1990s. According to expert data, between 700.000 and 950.000 Moldovan citizens are living and working abroad. Voting is allowed only at Moldovan diplomatic missions abroad; electronic, post and absentee vote is not yet allowed under the current Electoral Code. High transportation costs, illegal status, lack of interest in political life/elections and concerns regarding the secrecy of vote are the main impediments to participation in voting outside Moldova.
Recommendations to the Government of the Republic of Moldova:
• To review the legal electoral framework by taking into consideration the recommendations of the Venice Commission, specifically as regards the threshold – to be reduced from 6% to 5% – and the pre-electoral alliances, which parties should be allowed to form.
• To ensure a favourable environment for a conscious vote to be casted and for politicians/parties to be freely elected by withholding from intimidations of and pressure on certain opposition leaders.
• To address concerns raised by international and national independent observers in previous monitoring reports on 2005 parliamentary and 2007 local elections, in particular as regards the use of administrative resources and poorly updates of the electoral lists.
Recommendations to the European Union:
• EU institutions should consider bringing conditionality in its dialogue regarding reforms in Moldova especially that the country highly benefits from ENP funding. EU statements are welcomed but not as efficient as putting on hold financial assistance against lack of political will in promoting crucial democratic reforms.
• EU should engage into a more active public diplomacy, firstly through the Member States’ Embassies and the European Commission Delegation accredited to Moldova. Applying EU various leverage tools will accelerate reforms in Moldova.
*Liliana Viţu, independent expert in democracy and media development for the Independent Journalism Centre, co-author of Nations in Transit Report (Moldova chapter), Freedom House Europe, 2008; former BBC Correspondent in Moldova
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
Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Natalia Gavrilita, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicu Popescu, pay an official visit to Brussels, between September 27-28, being invited by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles.
Today, Prime Minister had a meeting with Charles Michel, President of the European Council. The Moldovan PM thanked the senior European official for the support of the institution in strengthening democratic processes, reforming the judiciary and state institutions, economic recovery and job creation, as well as increasing citizens’ welfare. Natalia Gavrilita expressed her confidence that the current visit laid the foundations for boosting relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, so that, in the next period, it would be possible to advance high-level dialogues on security, justice and energy. Officials also exchanged views on priorities for the Eastern Partnership Summit, to be held in December.
“The EU is open to continue to support the Republic of Moldova and the ambitious reform agenda it proposes. Moldova is an important and priority partner for us,” said Charles Michel.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita also met with Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy, expressing her gratitude for the support received through the OMNIBUS macro-financial assistance program. The two officials discussed the need to advance the recovery of money from bank fraud, to strengthen sustainable mechanisms for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in Moldova, and to standardize the customs and taxes as one of the main conditions for deepening cooperation with the EU in this field.
Additionally, Prime Minister spoke about the importance of the Eastern Partnership and the Deep Free Trade Agreement, noting that the Government’s policies are aimed at developing an economic model aligned with the European economic model, focused on digitalization, energy efficiency and the green economy.
A common press release of the Moldovan Prime Minister with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell Fontelles, took place today, where the agenda of Moldova’s reforms and the main priorities to focus on in the coming months were presented: judiciary reform; fighting COVID-19 pandemic; promoting economic recovery and conditions for growth and job creation; strengthening state institutions and resilience of the country.
“I am here to relaunch the dialogue between my country and the European Union. Our partnership is strong, but I believe there is room for even deeper cooperation and stronger political, economic and sectoral ties. I am convinced that this partnership is the key to the prosperity of our country and I hope that we will continue to strengthen cooperation.”
The Moldovan delegation met Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice. Tomorrow, there are scheduled common meetings with Oliver Varhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport and Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy.
Prime Minister will also attend a public event, along with Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.
Photo: gov.md
Politics
Promo-LEX about Maia Sandu’s UN speech: The president must insist on appointing a rapporteur to monitor the situation of human rights in Transnistria
The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, pays an official visit to New York, USA, between September 21-22. There, she participates in the work of the United Nations General Assembly. According to a press release of the President’s Office, the official will deliver a speech at the tribune of the United Nations.
In this context, the Promo-LEX Association suggested the president to request the appointment of a special rapporteur in order to monitor the situation of human rights in the Transnistrian region. According to Promo-LEX, the responsibility for human rights violations in the Transnistrian region arises as a result of the Russian Federation’s military, economic and political control over the Tiraspol regime.
“We consider it imperative to insist on the observance of the international commitments assumed by the Russian Federation regarding the withdrawal of the armed forces and ammunition from the territory of the country,” the representatives of Promo-LEX stated. They consider the speech before the UN an opportunity “to demand the observance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Russian Federation with reference to this territory which is in its full control.”
“It is important to remember about the numerous cases of murder, torture, ill-treatment, forced enlistment in illegal military structures, the application of pseudo-justice in the Transnistrian region, all carried out under the tacit agreement of the Russian Federation. These findings stem from dozens of rulings and decisions issued by the European Court of Human Rights, which found that Russia is responsible for human rights violations in the region.”
The association representatives expressed their hope that the president of the country would give priority to issues related to the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region and would call on relevant international actors to contribute to guaranteeing fundamental human rights and freedoms throughout Moldova.
They asked Maia Sandu to insist on the observance of the obligation to evacuate the ammunition and the military units of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, to publicly support the need for the Russian Federation to implement the ECtHR rulings on human rights violations in the Transnistrian region, and to request the appointment of an UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.
**
The Promo-LEX Association concluded that 14 out of 25 actions planned within the National Action Plan for the years 2018–2022 concerning respecting human rights in Transnistria were not carried out by the responsible authorities.
The association expressed its concern and mentioned that there are a large number of delays in the planned results. “There is a lack of communication and coordination between the designated institutions, which do not yet have a common vision of interaction for the implementation of the plan.”
Promo-LEX requested the Government of the Republic of Moldova to re-assess the reported activities and to take urgent measures, “which would exclude superficial implementation of future activities and increase the level of accountability of the authorities.”
Photo: peacekeeping.un.org
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