Report no. 3 on the monitoring of February 24, 2019 parliamentary elections, drawn up by Promo-LEX OM, reveals a series of worrying trends, in particular, intimidation of Promo-LEX observers, early start of electoral campaigns, misuse of administrative resources and offering of electoral gifts, defective reporting of expenditure by initiative groups, as well as other cases related to non-observance of some legal provisions by the public administration.

Intimidation of the Promo-LEX Observation Mission activity

After the launch of the first two Reports on the Monitoring of the Parliamentary Elections of February 24, 2019 drawn up by the Observation Mission, public denigrating attacks on the Mission and its reports continued, cases of intimidation of long-term observers being reported.

Through this report, the Promo-LEX OM apprises the electoral authority, mass media and Moldovan citizens, as well as international observation missions of intimidating actions taken by some state bodies (Police, Information and Security Service).

In this context, the Promo-LEX Association reaffirms its values and underlines that it will not admit external interference in its work and in activity of the Observation Mission of the parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019. Promo-LEX will continue to monitor the elections and democratic processes in Moldova, informing the public, equally objectively and in good faith, about the positive aspects, as well as about the violations found in electoral campaigns.

Designation and registration of candidates

Political parties continue to be the main actors in the current elections. Six electoral competitors have been registered in the national constituency and five potential candidates have submitted files for registration with the CEC. In single member constituencies, 403 requests for registration have been filed by Initiative Groups (2 being rejected), most of them (75%) submitted by political parties.   Thus, the PDM and the PSRM have nominated candidates in all the 51 single member constituencies (SMCs). The PPS has nominated candidates in 50 SMCs (except the SMC no. 17 Nisporeni), and the ACUM Bloc nominated 49 candidates (with the exception of SMCs no. 44 and 46).

Start of electoral campaign ahead of schedule, misuse of administrative resources and offering of electoral gifts

Nominated competitors / candidates continued to organize electoral events during the monitored period. Of the 110 events identified by the Promo-LEX observers, 62% were organized by the PSRM, 12% by the ACUM Bloc, 11% by the PDM and 9% by the PPS.

Also, during the monitored period, new cases, which can be qualified as misuse of administrative resources, have been revealed. Thus, the PDM was targeted in 4 cases and the PSRM in one case.

Electoral gifts were not an exception in the monitored period either, the PSRM being targeted in 8 cases, the PPS in 3 cases, the PDM and the PL in one case each.

Large number of conflicts in the State Electoral Register (SER)

Promo-LEX observers found in the monitored period that registrars failed to fully update the data in the State Electoral Register due to their absence from the job and the impossibility to access the Register.

The Promo-LEX OM draws attention to the 6875 conflicts identified in the Register in the case of 135 registrars. We underline that registrars can resolve these conflicts by January 29, 2019.

Fewer polling stations (PS) for abroad voters than planned

The Promo-LEX Observation Mission appreciates the increase in the number of polling stations opened for voters abroad, compared to the last national elections, the number increased from 100 to 125. At the same time, we emphasize that this number is less than the number of polling stations planned by the CEC to be open (150). According to Promo-LEX, the Government’s decision on the number of PSs and their location abroad was adopted in a non-transparent way, without taking into account the five criteria on the basis of which they were to be established.

Furthermore, it is incomprehensible, in the opinion of Promo-LEX, why there was no reaction from the CEC, which, considering it necessary to open 150 and not 125 PSs, actively promoted information campaigns on the need for pre-registration for non-national citizens to increase the number of PSs. Despite this, the Commission has eventually tacitly accepted the reduction of the number of PSs.

Poor compliance with legal provisions by public administration

Only 50% of the village and town halls visited by the Promo-LEX observers have approved decisions on setting up electoral displays and premises for meetings with voters.

Promo-LEX has found a particular case of organizing mobile teams by the Public Services Agency to draw up expired identity documents of Moldovan citizens for certain settlements in the USA.

In this context, considering that Moldovan citizens can vote abroad only with valid passports, the Promo-LEX OM asks the Constitutional Court to examine, as a matter of urgency, the constitutionality of the ban on voting with expired passports and / or identity cards for Moldovan diaspora.

13 appeals filed with the CEC, most of them being settled within legal deadlines

During the monitored period, 13 appeals have been filed with the CEC, of which 4 were submitted by independent candidates and 9 by representatives of political parties (the PDM – 1, the PCRM – 3, the ACUM Bloc- 4, PPS – 1). Most of the complaints concerned registration or refusal to register MP candidates. Five appeals were   against the actions / inactions of electoral competitors (the PSRM – 2, the ACUM Bloc- 1, the PDM – 2). Most of the complaints were resolved by the CEC within the legal deadlines of 3 and 5 calendar days. However, two appeals were resolved within extended terms of 5 and 6 calendar days.

Financial reporting of the Initiative Groups is symbolic

The Promo-LEX OM estimated an amount of at least 1,090,121 lei as expenditures not reported to the CEC by the initiative groups constituted by the parties and electoral blocs that have nominated candidates. Thus, the PPS did not report at least 618,258 lei, the PSRM – 253,103 lei, the PDM -147,593 lei, the PN-  33,657 lei, the PCRM – 25,002 lei, the PL – 10,208 lei, the ACUM Bloc – 2,300 lei.

According to the official website of the CEC, of the 401 registered initiative groups, 145, including the PCRM and the PL, have not submitted to the CEC any weekly financial report, nor did they submit the commitment not to incur expenses.

The full report can be accessed here.

For more information, please contact:
Inga Stegarescu, Promo-LEX Press Officer;
GSM: 069 26 96 84;
E-mail: [email protected]

Promo LEX reminds the reader that freedom of speech and assembly, like many other fundamental rights and freedoms, are violated in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, controlled by the de facto Tiraspol administration. Promo-LEX expresses deep concern about the suppression of public expressing of opinions, as well as the limitation of rights to peaceful assemblies in the Transnistrian region.

Promo-LEX urges the Governments  of the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation, as well as the international institutions in charge, to monitor the situation of observance of the right to free expression and assembly. Promo-LEX calls for the release of  the people detained by Tiraspol administration just because they tried to organize and participated in a peaceful protest.

Promo-LEX reminds the reader of the protest held on June 2, 2018 in Tiraspol, involving up to 40 people. The majority of the participants in this peaceful assembly were elderly people. On June 3, 2018, local militia representatives detained 15 people that attended the meeting on  June 2, 2018. They were escorted to the militia headquarters in Tiraspol. Militia representatives in the region claimed that the reason for their arrest was illegal public assembly. On June 4, 2018, the so-called Transnistrian judges penalized the participants with a fine and applied administrative arrest of up to 15 days (see more details here).

Given that these violations were not settled at the national level, a group of people filed an application with the European Court of Human Rights, which recently registered the complaint and is due to examine it in the near future.

However, the organizer of the meeting, Oleg Horjan, who is also the president of an opposition party in the Transnistrian region, is still in detention. The so-called courts of the region sentenced Oleg Horjan to a four-year and six-month imprisonment term for the alleged offense of “violent acts committed against a public person / representative of power”. We note that the reason for Oleg Horjan’s arrest was the conduct of the public assembly and his subsequent actions to defend the interests of assembly participants, who were illegally held in the custody of the Transnistrian militia.

Currently, Oleg Horjan is detained in the Hlinaia penitentiary in conditions that are qualified as inhuman and degrading, according to the findings of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and special rapporteurs that visited the Transnistrian region. At the same time, his situation risks aggravating due to the conflict between him and the leadership of the so-called Transnistrian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

For more information, please contact: Natalia Munteanu, Promo-LEX Communication Officer; GSM: 069 43 70 40; E-mail: [email protected]

Addressee: Government of the Republic of Moldova

Subject: Implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP)

PUBLIC CALL

On speeding up the establishment of the National Human Rights Council and the Permanent Secretariat for Human Rights, institutions in charge of coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2018-2022.

On May 24, 2018, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted the Decision on the approval of the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2018 – 2022. Art. 3 and art. 4 of the Decision stipulates that the Government of the Republic of Moldova undertakes to create, within 2 months of the adoption of the decision, the National Human Rights Council and the Permanent Secretariat for Human Rights. For bureaucratic reasons, these institutions have not been created so far.

The Promo-LEX Association is concerned about the delay in adopting the mechanisms designed to implement one of the most important monitoring instruments and turning to advantage international human rights recommendations.

We point out that lack of a coordination mechanism compromises the implementation and reporting processes, according to which the Council should submit to the Parliament, by April 1, 2019, a report on the implementation of the NHRAP III. Moreover, this also compromises the intermediate reporting for the Universal Periodic Review.

In the context of the above, the Promo-LEX Association asks the Government of the Republic of Moldova to:

• urgently create the National Human Rights Council and the Permanent Secretariat for Human Rights;
• establish the Human Rights Council and its local entities in a transparent manner, including through the involvement of national institutions in human rights protection, non-governmental organizations operating in the field of human rights protection and interested international organizations (holding the status of observers);
• initiate the procedure for collecting information and drafting the interim report for the Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of Moldova (Cycle III);

More details and recommendations can be found in the Public Policy Analysis developed by the Promo-LEX Association.

For further information, please contact: Natalia Munteanu, Promo-LEX Communication Officer; GSM: 069 43 70 40 ; E-mail: [email protected]

Promo-LEX Association launched the second Observation Mission Report on the Parliamentary Elections of 24 February 2019. Monitored period: 10 December 2018 – 8 January 2019.

Appointment and registration of candidates: political parties are the main stakeholders in the mixed electoral system, as well

During the monitored period, only 6 collective applicants (5 political parties and one electoral bloc) filed registration applications for the national constituency and 4 contenders (PDM, the ACUM bloc, PCRM and PSRM) were registered by 8 January 2019. The 40% gender quota was observed by registered contenders, but most women are placed beyond the 20th position on the lists. On the other hand, none of the registered electoral contenders ensured the 40% gender quota for the candidates running in the single-member constituencies.

By 8 January 2019, 393 initiative group registration applications have been filed in single-member constituencies. In 46 constituencies, the number of registration applications filed by potential candidates varied between 4 and 11, and in the case of 5 constituencies 11-14 potential candidates filed their applications. Of the total initiative groups, 73% were formed by parties and blocs, and 27% – by citizens (independent candidates).

Note that in the case of PDM, 87% of the established initiative groups managed to collect the signatures during the first two days.

Ambiguous legal provisions on the period one is to be relieved of the duties incumbent upon one in their job position

Promo-LEX OM drew attention to Article 13(3) that provides that one shall be suspended from his/her job position once she/he is registered as election candidate, while Article 49(1) provides that one shall be suspended for the entire length of the election campaign.

We recommend expanding the suspension period for candidates in single-member constituencies, which should start from the moment signature sheets are released.

Use of administrative resources and involvement of extraneous people in electoral-like activities

During the monitored period, Promo-LEX OM reported at least 10 cases in which administrative resources were allegedly used. Seven of them involved PDM, two – PPS, and 1 – PN. Promo-LEX OM also underscored that the President of the Republic of Moldova participated in promoting PSRM candidates to the parliamentary elections.

In the case of two other parties – PDM (3) and PPS (2), there were situations that could be regarded as involvement of people who are not citizens of the Republic of Moldova in electoral-like activities.

Electoral-like activities, gift-giving during the election period

In the context of the parliamentary elections based on the mixed-member electoral system, Promo-LEX OM found that certain already registered candidates and potential candidates were

particularly active – i.e. about 280 events were carried out during the monitored period. About 100 of them (35%) could be rated as gift-giving during the election period. PSRM (42 cases), PPS (41 cases) and PDM (17 cases) conducted such activities.

Charity foundations associated with certain political parties participated, reportedly, in electoral-like activities – ‘Din Suflet’ [From the Soul] (PSRM) Charity and ‘Miron Sor’ Charity (PPS).

Expenses not reported by some initiative groups

About 40% of the initiative groups, including those formed by 6 political parties (MSPSN – 1 IG, PCRM – 29 IG, PL – 25 IG, PDA – 2 IG, PVE – 4 IG and 92 IG supporting independent candidates) didn’t submit to the CEC any weekly financial statement nor any piece of information proving lack of any expenses, which is inconsistent with the provisions of the Regulation on Initiative Groups.

According to Promo-LEX estimates, the largest unreported expenses of the initiative groups that filed statements to CEC have to do with the public events organised by PPS, PSRM and PDM, with the total estimated unreported expenses amounting to at least MDL 1 584 821.

Furthermore, before the initiative groups were even registered, at least 3 potential election candidates (PDM, PPS, PSRM) had incurred expenses for electoral-like activities that were beneficial for the subsequent activity of signature collection. These estimates amount to at least MDL 3 766 917, funds that ultimately yielded political and electoral gains without having been included on the Electoral Fund account. However, the current legal framework provides that such expenses must be reported in the final 2018 financial statements of the parties concerned.

Late implementation by CEC of certain amendments to the regulatory framework without having held public consultations

Promo-LEX OM calls attention to the fact that CEC continued to amend the regulatory framework during the election period; it amended three regulations and approved a new regulation on the organisation of elections on 24 February 2019.

Promo-LEX OM also underscored that the constituency councils did not comply with the legal provisions regarding public disclosure of information about the registered candidates, including ensuring public access to declarations on assets and personal interests.

Registrars’ access to the SRV suspended by CEC in full election period

As CEC stopped registrars’ access to the State Register of Voters, Promo-LEX observers didn’t manage to fully monitor the extent to which the lists of voters were updated and improved.

Promo-LEX OM is confused about registrars’ limited access to SRV during 28 December 2018 – 10 January 2019, in full election period when SRV content needs to be updated thoroughly, with the participation of registrars.

Find the full report here.

For more information, please contact:
Inga Stegarescu, Press Officer of Promo-LEX Association;
GSM: 069 26 96 84;
E-mail: [email protected]

The Promo-LEX Association urges Moldovan citizens, who will be abroad on the election day, to register in advance by filling out an online registration form  in the  Pre-registration section on www.alegator.md.

The registration may also be made on paper by filing an application form, signed individually or collectively, with the Central Electoral Commission and / or the diplomatic missions, consular offices of the Republic of Moldova.

There are 5 days left. Voters may register by January 9, 2019.

Even if the number of pre-registered voters is only one of the 5 criteria set out by the legislation, the analysis of the evolution of the number of pre-registered voters shows that the location and number of polling stations to be opened in single member constituencies outside the country can be influenced by voter activism.

In the analysis published on October 16, 2018, Promo-LEX mentioned the number of 2448 pre-registered voters. On January 3, 2019, there were already 7,945 voters, by 5,497 more, especially in the European states located to the west of Moldova.

According to the Promo-LEX estimates, provided that the other indicators remain intact and the number of pre-registered voters increases exclusively, the distribution of the polling stations per constituency would undergo the following changes:

+4 for SMC no.50 (states located to the west of Moldova) from 88 to 92;

-3 for SMC No.51 (US and Canada) from 17 to 14

– 1 for SMC no. 49 (states located to the east of Moldova) from 45 to 44.

Considering the above conclusions, we repeatedly urge voters based abroad to register as actively as possible, as pre-registration can influence the number and location of polling stations in the constituencies situated abroad.

Bring the polling stations closer to your place of residence!

Natalia Munteanu, Promo-LEX Communications Officer; GSM: 069437040; E-mail: [email protected]

The Promo-LEX Observation Mission (OM) presents the following specifications with reference to the unfounded allegations made by the Democratic Party of Moldova (DPM) on December 28, 2018 about the content of the activity methodology and the conclusions of the Mission set out in the Observation Report no. 1 on the parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019.

Promo-LEX appreciates the DPM’s interest in the activity of the Observation Mission and implicitly in the findings of the Report no. 1 on the parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019. Starting from the principle of good faith, the Promo-LEX Association qualifies the DPM’s position as an impulsive response that can be subsumed within the limits of freedom of opinion and expression. All together, we believe that this reaction has nothing to do with and is not, in any way, intended to intimidate the observers. It is from these considerations that we qualify as totally inappropriate the insinuation that the information in the report is an “array of personal thoughts of a group of observers, probably expressed based on their own political preferences”.

We are convinced that only through joint efforts of all stakeholders involved in the electoral process and based on the principle of the rule of law, consistency, good faith, transparency and objectivity, the quality and authenticity of all electoral procedures and stages can be improved.

We would like to reiterate that the principle of the rule of law is strictly respected by the Observation Mission. The findings and the critiques of the gaps in the legal framework, including of the implementation of the mixed electoral system, of the organization of the referendum on the same day with the parliamentary elections, mentioned in the Report, did not prevent us from welcoming and highlighting the changes to the normative framework. We have also pointed out that some of the changes were previously reported in the Promo-LEX public documents. However, we believe that a distinction should be made between the critical analysis of some legal provisions that we consider inappropriate or unjustified and the violation of the law, and undoubtedly, Promo-LEX cannot be blamed of the latter.

It should be pointed out that Election Observation Reports aim at informing the public, in an impartial and equidistant manner, about the observers’ findings with regard to the performance of all the actors involved in the electoral process, regardless of their own position and views. In this regard, Promo-LEX reiterates that the Mission’s activity is based on a Methodology developed on the basis of international standards in the field, which has been applied uniformly for observing the elections in Moldova since 2009. The mechanisms and methodological tools are applied uniformly to all actors in the electoral process, including those pursuing political purposes and scoring electoral points by any means.

We also emphasize that the Promo-LEX Observation Mission is not a political opponent of the competitors involved in the electoral process, it is not an investigative body and does not assume the express obligation to prove the observed findings. However, observers’ reports are, as far as possible, accompanied by official information and other evidence, including photo and video recordings, which may only be made available to law enforcement authorities on the basis of appropriate requests and, in no case, shall it be provided to electoral competitors.

In the case of the Promo-LEX OM Report, referred to in the press release of the Democratic Party of Moldova, we would like to draw the reader’s attention to the fact that the findings referring to the performance of this party are accompanied by footnotes that direct the reader to official information and other evidence, which inexplicably was ignored by the DPM. We tend to believe that such ignorance is not intentional and is just a careless omission.  Moreover, we remind the reader that Promo-LEX also manages the www.monitor.md web platform, to which any citizen can report activities with electoral overtones, the relevant information from observers’ reports being stored on the same platform and is public. We reiterate that the information communicated by citizens is also checked by Promo-LEX observers.

With regard to the DPM’s willingness to hold open and transparent talks, we remind the reader that Promo-LEX periodically, over the past 10 years, has carried out public round tables and off-line presentations, including of the methodological aspects of OM’s activity. All stakeholders, including political parties, are invited to these events for information and, when necessary, to receive and provide comments and recommendations. The last offline presentation of the observation methodology applied by Promo-LEX in election monitoring was organized on the eve of the presidential elections of 2016, with active participation of the DPM representatives. Over the years, both the findings and the recommendations of the Association, which were included in our Monitoring Reports each time based on the same methodology, were taken into account by state institutions and appreciated by the representatives of the DPM. Hopefully, the respect and confidence in Promo-LEX Observation Mission products will be maintained. The methodological instruments used by the Promo-LEX Observation Mission are described in the introductory section of the Reports, and our work remains fair and equidistant to all actors in the electoral process.

However, we must recognize that the observation methodology has been developed with regard to the issues of electoral rolls and electoral litigation, aspects which do not necessarily concern political competitors. In this context, we are ready to organize public and informal events, where we will reiterate the basic methodological aspects and will bring to light the new methodological aspects related to the monitoring of electoral rolls and litigation.

We assure all stakeholders involved in the electoral process, including the DPM, that Promo-LEX will continue to work in the same apolitical, consistent, equidistant and impartial manner to carry out an equally professional observation, being convinced that the presence and activity of a Mission of to ensure the final recognition of its results.

For further information, please contact:
Inga Stegarescu, Promo-LEX Association Press Officer;
GSM: 069 26 96 84;
E-mail: [email protected]

The Promo-LEX Association has launched the first Observation Mission Report on the Parliamentary Elections of February 24, 2019. According to the observers’ findings, the analysis of the pre-electoral context, the electoral legislation and the relevant regulations, Promo-LEX identified several irregularities that occurred during the period of July 27 – December 10, 2018:

Neglected recommendations in the process of transition to the mixed electoral system

Since the last parliamentary elections, the electoral system itself has been modified. Most of the technical recommendations formulated by the experts of the Venice Commission with regard to the draft law which changed the electoral system were neglected, only 12 recommendations out of 32 being implemented.

The principles of stability of the voting right and the freedom to form opinions seem to have been violated with the abolition of the ban on election campaigning on the day of election and the day preceding the election, as well as in the case of the amendments providing for the organization of the referendum on the same day with the parliamentary elections.

Consultative referendum approved hastily, without consulting the public opinion

Promo-LEX OM considers that the organization of the consultative referendum on the day of parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019 is based on a legal framework that has been hastily approved at the end of a pre-electoral period, without consulting the public opinion.

Thus, joining the polls will not only disorient voters, it will also unduly increase the costs of the suffrage and substantially complicate its organization and holding. The Promo-LEX observation mission considers that the High Court’s verification of the legal merits of organizing the referendum is to be carried out ex ante rather than ex post. Since in the case of an ex post verification, the consequences could be unpredictable. The inaction of actors entitled to refer the case to the Court arouses concerns.

Misuse of administrative resources

Promo-LEX OM has identified at least two parties whose actions can be qualified as misuse of administrative resources: the PDM and PSRM. In the case of the PDM, Promo-LEX OM identified in the pre-electoral period at least seven cases, where the activities of the potential national electoral competitors contained elements of deviations such as: merging the party with the state, abusive use of administrative resources and bribery of citizens. In the case of the PSRM, we refer to the fact that the party representatives in the Chisinau Municipal Council adopted and implemented projected using the public money.

Designation of candidates ahead of time

Promo-LEX OM has found that a number of political parties have carried out activities that can be qualified as designation of candidates in advance: the PSRM, PPS, PAS and PPPDA. In the period of 8 September – 3 November 2018, the PSRM publicly presented the party’s candidates for 43 of the 46 uninominal constituencies established on the territory of Moldova (except for the Transnistrian region). The Sor Political Party (PPS) resorted to its local representatives in the regions, which largely coincides with the uninominal constituencies. The PAS and PPPDA announced during the pre-election period that they have designated potential candidates to pass the integrity filters.

The establishment of a parliamentary commission of inquiry during the pre-electoral period for the examination of the activity of the parties in the opposition, potential electoral contenders, in the absence of conclusive evidence, raises reasonable suspicions about their possible intimidation in the electoral context.

Lack of confidence in the quality of the decision-making process managed by the CEC

In the opinion of Promo-LEX OM, during the monitored period, the CEC sporadically took account of the decision-making transparency and the number of normative acts that have been modified or approved too late is relatively large.

There were enough examples, both during 2018 and during the pre-election period, which demonstrated the lack of sustainability in ensuring decision-making transparency. An eloquent example of this is the amendment to the Regulation on the Financing of Electoral Campaigns, which has not even been subject to public consultations.

Referring to the video recording system in polling stations in the parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019, Promo-LEX mentions that the technical characteristics of the video recording system in the polling stations were adopted before the approval of the draft amendments to the normative acts on the operation of such a video recording system.

Differences in the data on the number of voters arouse suspicions

Promo-LEX OM draws attention to the fact that the continuous increase in the number of voters in the State Electoral Register (RSA), given the country’s depopulation by emigration, as well as the existence of a negative population increase in 2000, fuels the society’s mistrust in the functionality of the RSA and implicitly in the quality of electoral rolls. In order to increase the credibility of the electoral process, the RSA has to manage accurately, efficiently and under transparent conditions the data on the number of population and the number of voters.

At the same time, Promo-LEX emphasizes that under the existing legal framework, the citizens that do not have either a place of domicile or a place of residence are not allowed to vote in uninominal constituencies. We note that the number of voters that fall under this category has increased only in the last 15 months by 55,207, representing about 6.45% of the total number of voters.

Major risk of decreasing the transparency of the final report on the financing of electoral campaign

Promo-LEX qualifies the CEC’s failure to bring in conjunction the compulsoriness to submit the final reports on the financing of electoral campaign with the new deadline for electoral race (as a result of extending the period of electoral campaigning) as evidence of making hasty changes without an overall analysis of the legislation. We consider this a legislative issue and we recommend to introduce a new deadline for the competitors’ submission of the final report of on the financing of electoral campaigns, which should not exceed 5 days after the election day.

The full report can be read here.

For further information, please contact:
Inga Stegarescu, Promo-LEX Association Press Officer;
GSM: 069 26 96 84;
E-mail: [email protected]

The difficult situation and conditions of the eight schools from the Transnistrian region that teach in Romanian were discussed at a roundtable organized by the Promo-LEX Association on Thursday, December 13, 2018, attended by the heads of the institutions.

On October 19, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found that Russia had violated the right to education of students of Romanian schools situated in the Transnistrian region. The ECtHR then compelled Russia to respect the right to education of students of Romanian schools in the Transnistrian region and pay a compensation in the amount of 1 million 70 thousand euros. However, so far, Russia avoids complying with the judgment of the European Court. Promo-LEX reiterated that in the case of Catan and others, the ECtHR found that the Republic of Moldova did not violate the right to education in the Transnistrian region, but it is responsible for the education of students on the left bank of the Dniester River.

Despite the decision of the ECtHR and the latest agreements signed between the authorities in Chisinau and Tiraspol, the problems of those 8 Romanian schools in the Transnistrian region have not been solved yet. “One cannot say that the problem of schools has been solved. Since 1994, Alexandru cel Bun Theoretical Lyceum is in this state … all the three buildings, we all the time travel by buses. That’s permanent danger. The child makes a round trip of 27 kilometers. The school has no possibility to offer hot meals to the 6th-8th graders. 6^th-8th graders cannot go out during the breaks because the corridor is only 1 meter and 20 centimeters wide. There is a risk that our students will subsequently be enrolled in the so-called Transnistrian army, as they receive call-up papers, being invited to register with the military headquarters in Bender,” says Maria Roibu, headmistress of Alexandru cel Bun Theoretical Lyceum from Tighina.

Similar issues have been exposed by other headmasters.

It should be mentioned that none of the 8 schools that teach in Romanian language do not have their own premises, they are renting them. The greatest pressure is felt on September 1 and May 31, when students and teachers are monitored by civilians or men in uniforms, being openly intimidated to attend their solemn events. The educational institutions do not have the right to play the anthem of the Republic of Moldova or to fly the tricolor. School managers also talked about discrimination, stress and the fear experienced by students and teachers of the educational institutions from the Transnistrian region that teach in Romanian language.

For more information, please contact: Natalia Munteanu, Promo-LEX Communications Officer; GSM: 069 43 70 40
E-mail: [email protected]

In celebration of the 70th anniversary since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Promo-LEX Association has been given the Award for its contribution to the promotion of equality in dignity and rights, for not leaving anyone behind, as well as for an outstanding long-term activity in the field of human rights promotion with a lasting impact on the lives of rightholders.

The Award has been handed over by Mrs.  Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator/ UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova, during the UN Human Rights Gala, to Mr.Pavel Postica, Director of the Monitoring Democratic Processes Program .  The latter stated that  „ … there are no closed doors when it comes to human rights, but these doors will never open by themselves, we must strive to knock on these doors, to push them open, therefore, we must actively fight to attain this goal. The Human Rights will exists as long as we are fighting to maintain them.”

The Promo-LEX Association has been protecting and promoting human rights in the Republic of Moldova, and in the Transnitrian region, for 16 years.

This award is the fourth received by Promo-LEX, which is a sign of high appreciation for the entire team’s work.

Promo-LEX wishes to express its sincere thanks to all its partners for the trust, collaboration and support provided. Moreover, the Promo-LEX Association wishes to dedicate this award to the victims it assisted and to all persons fighting to promote human rights and dignity.

For additional information, please contact:
Inga Stegarescu, Press Officer of the Promo-LEX Association;
GSM: 069 26 96 84;
E-mail: [email protected]