The case of the informal Antifa [anti-fascist] group is a political order made by the governing majority parties of Moldova, and Mikhail Amerberg and Pavel Grigorciuc, arrested within this case, are political prisoners, maintains MP Grigore Petrenco, Deputy Chairperson of the Unified European Left group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.     

The deputy stated at a news conference in Infotag on Friday that the Antifa scandal was badly needed by the ‘old new’ ruling coalition in the run-up to the November 30 parliamentary elections.     

“The topic of a possible civil war in Moldova, of possible repetition of the Ukrainian events here was methodically discussed on same television channels by same hired political scientists and journalists. The Democratic Party and its de-facto owner and master Vlad Plahotniuc added Antifa to their election campaigning. Now that the elections are over, the Antifa topic is being gradually extinguished in the mass media. But criminal cases started in the campaign framework are remaining, and the authorities have to do something with them, haven’t they? Well, they decide to arrest Mikhail Amerberg and Pavel Grigorciuc, but there is absolutely nothing available against them – no evidence whatsoever! That’s a real problem”, said the parliamentarian.            

Grigore Petrenco was very critical and simultaneously ironical about “those poor little guys – the prosecutors” mobilized to the Antifa case.     

“Well, the fact that they are absolutely illiterate writers, that they make mistakes in every word and have no idea of where to put comas is only half the trouble. The real trouble is in what they write. For example, the case materials say that the crimes concerned were committed in August 2014, whereas the accusatory conclusion reads – in September-November. May I remind that the case was started on August 11. In such case, first the case was started, and only after that – the crimes were committed, right?” wondered the lawmaker, and added that the ongoing disclosure of “the extremist activities” of two persons is being run by a whole army of 80 police investigators and prosecutors.     

Grigore Petrenco promised to publish their names and details of this shameful political enterprise.   

“I want the relatives and acquaintances of these so-called officers come to know what their dear ones are busy with. I want everybody to know that by orders from the above – from Plahotniuc or Filat – they fabricate grave accusations, open fake criminal cases and throw innocent people into custody. This is the practice of political investigations used in the Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s – the practice of Gestapo. These methods are being implanted in Moldova by the authorities who claim to be pro-European and democratic”, stated the deputy.      

Grigore Petrenco also cited a formulation written in the case by prosecutor Gheorghe Ciobanu – the author of the accusatory conclusion.

“He called Antifa ‘an organized criminal group’. What a disgrace for Moldova so longing for Europe to call anti-fascists ‘organized criminals’! Mikhail Amerberg and Pavel Grigorciuc have been placed behind bars only for their non-concealing their political outlooks and for saying the outlooks in public”, said Petrenco.        

He called upon Moldova’s international partners to pay serious attention to the Antifa case and to the arrested young people, and to prevent Moldova’s sliding down to the level of a police state.