MOLDOVAN AUTHORITIES' EFFORTS ON PREVENTING HATRED AGAINST ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE INSUFFICIENT - ECRI

Racist and intolerant hate speech in public discourse against LGBT persons, Roma and Black community is escalating in Moldova due to the fact that the authorities fail to voice any counter-hate speech message to the public. These are the conclusions of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), which published a report on Moldova.

The report says that just a small share of complaints about hate speech reaches courts. The document authors call on the Moldovan authorities to develop, jointly with the relevant civil society groups and international organizations, a comprehensive strategy to prevent and combat hate speech.

The national Roma strategies have not been implemented fully and the situation of the Roma community remains extremely difficult. School drop-out rates are still high and access to employment is alarmingly low.

The ECRI says that prejudice against LGBT persons is still widespread and they experience different forms of discrimination in their daily lives.

European experts confirm that progress has been made in a number of sectors in the republic. The visibility and the work of the Council to Prevent and Combat Discrimination and Ensure Equality have improved. With the adoption of Law on the People's Advocate (the Ombudsman) in 2014, the status of the Ombudsman was reformed and has also increased its impact. However, these need strengthening of the institutional potential.

The report also recommends the authorities to extend training activities for law enforcement officials and the judiciary on hate crime, including hate speech.

The report was compiled on the basis of the events that took place before March 23, 2018.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), established by the Council of Europe, is an independent human rights monitoring body specialized in questions relating to racism and intolerance. It is composed of independent and impartial members appointed on the basis of their moral authority and recognized expertise in dealing with racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance. ECRI conducts country monitoring work, which analyses the situation in each of the member States of the Council of Europe regarding racism and intolerance and draws up suggestions and proposals for dealing with the problems identified.