EU WILL CLOSELY MONITOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN MOLDOVA – PETER MICHALKO

Ambassador Peter Michalko, Head of the European Union Delegation to Moldova said at the Thursday’s sitting of the EU-Moldova Civil Society Platform that the EU expectations from Moldovan authorities have not changed after the formation of a new Government in November.

According to him, the political will, observance of democracy principles and political pluralism are still necessary.

Michalko said that at organizing the future elections, the Moldovan authorities should point at the previous recommendations of partners and monitoring missions, connected with party financing, the voting of diaspora in Transnistria, the maintenance of media pluralism.

“Any attacks against representatives of civil society should be excluded, as it is defender of democratic standards, which has been many times proved during the previous plebiscites. Still there are risks of electors disinformation thus there should be something to oppose this, and here the civil society may positively influence, being a partner to the state”, the European diplomat said.

He stressed that there is no political force in Moldova which would deny fundamental role of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

“It is important that efforts in this direction to continue. The European Union is ready to support reforms, but this support will depend on the strict fulfillment of liabilities the Moldovan Government assumed”, Michalko said.