EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CONCERNED ABOUT SITUATION IN MOLDOVA

The European Parliament Standing Committee for Foreign Policy is seriously concerned about the situation developing in Moldova.

At the Tuesday's sitting, European MPs approved a report on the fulfillment of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, which says that the main causes for concern are: the establishing of a mixed election system in contradiction to recommendations of the OSCE-ODIHR and the Venice Commission; lack of an independent judicial system, which is acting in business interests of some politicians, when criminal cases are started against the opposition; lack of progress in combating corruption and in investigating the bank fraud; the monopolization of the media space and the infringement of the civil society's freedom of actions.

"The final decision on the future of EU macro-financial assistance will be adopted after the parliamentary elections, given the fact that the voting should take place on the basis of the approved international standards, while the continuation of budget support directly depends on the considerable raising of Democratic standards in Moldova", the report says.

According to report authors, the results of the investigation create a contrast image of Moldova in the work on the Association Agreement fulfillment.

"In some fields there are positive changes, especially in relation to measures, directed to improvement of the financial sector, which reduces the risks of bank crisis recurrence in future. Moreover, there are improvements in the field of trade between Moldova and EU countries as a result of the DCFTA actions. However, such changes were overshadowed by a considerable regress in the field of democratic standards - the basis of the Association Agreement, which is directly connected with the EU financial support and the visa-free regime for Moldovan citizens", the document says.

The European deputies propose to Moldovan authorities to focus on what is most important for citizens of both the European Union and Moldova: the fulfillment of mutual liabilities, support fundamental democracy principles, the supremacy of law, the protection of human rights and the main freedoms.

The report author, MP of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Petras Austrevicius made a conclusion saying "God, bless Moldova!"