HUNGARIAN PREMIER AND ROMANIAN SPEAKER PROVIDE POLITICAL COVER TO PLAHOTNIUC LAWLESSNESS - ACUM

"It has become already habitual that each time oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc [DP leader] needs international political cover for lawlessness and stealing in Moldova, he can rely on unconditional support of Liviu Dragnea - Chairman of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, and Viktor Orban - Prime Minister of Hungary", says a joint statement of the ACUM election bloc leaders Andrei Nastase and Maia Sandu.

"Government in Bucharest, surrounded by loyal Russia's friends in Budapest, is openly refusing to recognize antidemocratic actions in Chisinau, taking the side of oligarch-usurper. After the support, provided by the Social-Democratic Party of Romania and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe to the Moldovan cartel made of the Democratic Party and Party of Socialists after the adoption of election system in favor of the pro-Russian party, after Plahotniuc got moral support from Dragnea in invalidation of the Chisinau mayor election results, when pro-European and pro-Romanian forces won, the Bucharest Government decided to block the critical report on the Plahotniuc's regime that should be adopted by foreign ministers of the EU countries", the statement says.

Leaders of the bloc [made of the "Demnitate si Adevar" [DA, "Dignity and Justice"] Party and the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS)] say that the report is condemning the violation of democratic norms by authorities in Chisinau.

The draft document says that the adherence to democratic principles, the supremacy of law and the respect of human rights form the basis of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, while the events in Moldova, including the invalidation of Chisinau elections, raise considerable fears in terms of how the Moldovan side will fulfill its commitments. The EU expects that parliamentary elections in February 2019 will be held in accordance with international standards with abiding by democratic principles and ensuring transparent and comprehensive process.

Also, the prepared draft resolution expresses concern about the growing number of registered cases connected with threatening and intimidation directed against opposition, free media outlets, the civil society. The document includes a call to Moldovan leadership to provide to all the candidates the access to the media and equal opportunities for participation in elections. Also, the document includes demand to Chisinau authorities to ensure proper number of polling stations both in the country and abroad.

Leaders of the right-wing opposition are wondering which of above-enumerated provisions, according to Mr. Melescanu [Romanian Foreign Minister], do not meet conditions for adopting the report in interests of Moldovan citizens by all other European countries.

"We are asking how the support to authorities, which more and more resemble to the Kremlin regime, serves the Romania's interests? It seems that the partnership relations of Plahotniuc and Dragnea prevail here", they say.

The ACUM is calling on all the political forces in Romania to meet expectations of citizens, sincerely supporting European values and standards in Moldova.

As Infotag has already reported, it was supposed that the Resolution will be adopted at the sitting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, December 10. However, Bucharest and Budapest blocked the including of this issue in the sitting agenda.