Many farmers from different localities of Dubasari district were forbidden to perform spring agricultural works. In the course of this week only, there were reported 3 cases, under which the farmers were notified to stop any agricultural works and to leave subsequently their private property. The local militia warned the workers that their technique would be arrested, if found on their agricultural lands across the road Ribnita-Tiraspol.

Though these people are owners of their lands, they can not freely cultivate them. The representatives of economic agents activating in this region were previously notified to appear before the illegal administration of Dubasari, so as to sign some documents, which would mean their acknowledgment of the loss of ownership titles over those lands and the transfer of such lands into the ownership of illegal administration instituted in the east of the country. Thus, it was brought to their attention, that solely under those conditions the economic agents and farmers would have the possibility of continuing their agricultural works.

Moreover, the local militia forbids access to the warehouses located to the east from the road Ribnita-Tiraspol, owned by many economic agents from Dorotcaia village, Dubasari district, whose  lands are located to the east of the road in proportion of over 90%. Thus, the economic agents can not sell their agricultural products and, therefore, can not pay any wages to their employees who remain without any sources of subsistence.

Though they were assured to have access in spring to their lands, the farmers are still waiting for negotiations with the illegal administration, which exercises control over these lands. It shall be mentioned that the constitutional authorities haven’t communicated any information on the evolution of this issue, which is vital for many residents of the zone, and haven’t anyhow succeeded in determining the illegal administration to respect the ownership right of land holders.

In this framework, it shall be mentioned that in the beginning of the year 2013, ECtHR communicated to Moldova and the Russian Federation 8 applications, which comprise complaints of 1651 owners of agricultural lands located in Dubasari district, inter alia on the part of 3 agricultural commercial companies. The applicants are residents and dwellers of such localities as Dorotcaia, Parata, Molovata-Noua, Pohrebea and Cocieri located on the left bank of Dniestr River, and they hold land shares in the neighborhood of their villages. On the merit of this case, there have already been sent observations, and ECtHR shall pronounce its opinion thereon in the nearest future.

Notwithstanding this situation, it shall be noted that the constitutional authorities are inactive in settling the problem of peasants in Dubasari district, whose lands were taken over by the local illegal militia.

In this context, the Association “Promo-LEX” emphasizes the importance of comprehensive fulfillment of positive obligations attributed to the constitutional authorities and notes that over the last 10 years there wasn’t outlined any solution with respect to the problem of land access, while the situation occurred in this spring was similar to the situation in 2004, when over one thousand and eight hundreds peasants couldn’t access their lands and many companies from Dubasari region became bankrupt. Thus, we appeal the constitutional authorities and the international observers to intensify pressures over the illegal administration of this region, so as to make it respect the ownership right held by thousands of legal agricultural landowners.

For more details, please, contact: Ion Manole, Chief Executive Officer of the Association Promo-LEX. Tel: (22) 450024, GSM: 069070800, e-mail: [email protected]