Chisinau, March 20 (Infotag). The Transnistrian authorities keep on violating the locals’ rights and freedoms, Mr. Ion Manole, Chairman of the Promo-Lex Association, stated at a news conference in Infotag.

In his words, the local owners of cars bearing Moldovan license plates, are meticulously persecuted by Transnistrian paramilitary structures, forcing such motorists to pay a tax for cars’ temporary registration with Transnistria.

“The flow of complaints coming to Promo-Lex from the victims of such illicit actions is growing. Our lawyers have sent several cases to the European Court of Human Rights, but the number of such instances would only bulge”. Manole said.

Several such victims stated at the news conference that the Transnistrian authorities resolutely demand to replace the Moldovan plates with the plates of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic. But in that case a car will be unable to travel anywhere except the mainland Moldova and some FSU republics.

Promo-Lex referred to some recent instances when cars detained by the Transnistrian militia were returned to owners only upon paying fines and bribes. To avoid this, motorists heading to Transnistria have to leave their cars in nearby Moldovan villages on the border, and get to their destination places by public transport.

The organization urged the Moldovan authorities to ensure the observance of human rights on the eastern Dniester bank, and expressed regret about the behaviour of Russia “which underpins and strengthens the illicit Transnistrian regime that violates citizens’ human rights”.

CHISINAU AND MOSCOW PRESUME THEY HAVE NO RELATION TO PRESSURE PUT ON MOLDOVAN SCHOOLS IN TRANSNISTRIA – PROMO-LEX

Chisinau, March 20 (Infotag). The Governments of Moldova and Russia say they are not responsible for the ongoing violations of the rights of Moldovan schools in Transnistria that use the Latin script at teaching the language. The ‘school case’ is being considered by the European Court of Human Rights on the request of 170 parents, pupils and teachers of 3 such schools working in the Transnistrian region.

Promo-Lex Executive Director Alexandru Postica, who represents the applicants’ interests in the ECHR, told Infotag that in 2004 the schools were not able to work for as long as almost half a year because the Tiraspol authorities demanded that the schools be officially registered with the Transnistrian government and begin using Transnistrian curricula, which imply first and foremost that the language shall be called Moldovan not Romanian and, accordingly, that the Cyrillic script be used.

So the above-mentioned parents, pupils and teachers complained to the European Court of Human Rights, for they think their rights of education, non-discrimination and fair trial were violated. The ECHR accepted the case for an urgent examination, and requested the Governments of Russia and Moldova to send in their ideas on the issue.

According to Postica, Russia has stated it has no relation to the human rights violation in Transnistria, because Moldova is an independent state and the Transnistrian region is an integral part of it. Besides, Moldova presumes the school conflict is over, as the schools have been registered all right.

From its part, the Moldovan Government stated Transnistria escapes its control, although Chisinau has done all in its powers for the Moldovan schools’ normal work in the Transnistrian region, and addressed to the international community for help.

Alexandru Postica regards such arguments offered by Chisinau and Moscow as unfounded. He stressed that concerning the Ilascu Group case, Moldova and Russia offered analogous arguments, but the ECHR perceived them as founded, and condemned both Governments.

Promo-Lex is preparing to present the applicants’ opinion concerning the Moldovan and Russian Governments’ positions in the ECHR in May 2007. The association hopes the European Court will make its final decision before the end of this year.