Foreign Affairs on May 16–30, 2006

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has ascertained again that almost all human rights are violated in the Transnistrian region of Moldova. As regards the torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, the Council of Europe recalled the case of Ilascu group, whose two members are in “arbitrary detention”. The freedom on religious denominations ignored by Tiraspol authorities who refuse to register certain religious groups, including Baptists and the ban of the rent or purchase of buildings for religious meetings, is another violation of human rights. The Committee of Ministers is unsatisfied with freedom of expression, situation of NGOs in Transnistria, which do not have the right to receive aid from international organisations.

As the Russian Federation took over the Chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), CoE Secretary-General Terry Davis said that Russia “must have a consistent stance: if it claims that the Chechen Republic is part of the Russian Federation, it must also support the complete integrity of the Republic of Moldova.” Speaking about non-execution of the ECHR judgment on release of prisoners from Tiraspol, Davis said that governments of all countries participating in the Council of Europe must enforce the ECHR judgments, no matter if they like them or not, and Russia cannot be an exception from this principle.

CoE experts are concerned that provisions of the draft Broadcast Code contain many incompatibilities with recommendations of international organisations and with the fact that they could not be essentially modified. Ascertions in this regard were made at a conference on the draft Broadcast Code on 19–20 May, with the participation of national and international broadcasting experts. CoE expert David Ward told the conference that he is concerned with provisions of the draft Broadcast Code, which neglect the existence of local broadcasters, limit the activity of the regulation body of the Public Company TeleRadio-Moldova, etc.

Republic of Moldova — European Union

The head of the European Commission Delegation in Bucharest has said that Romania must become the 7th economic power of Europe, not only as number of representatives in the European Parliament and Romania must become a model for the Republic of Moldova in the European integration process the next ten years.

Republic of Moldova — Romania

The Romanian president has described the freezing of the Moldovan-Romanian relations as mistake in an interview with the Moscow-based newspaper Kommersant. Traian Basescu reiterated that Romania has elaborated an own plan on settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and promised that the Romanian state will accelerate the efforts for the conflict resolution once it becomes member of the E.U. Although Moldova, Ukraine or Russia did not invite Romania to take part in negotiations, Bucharest will propose a solution to the conflict acceptable for all sides, President Basescu assured.

Republic of Moldova — Russian Federation

Non-execution of ECHR judgment

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Russian Federation has executed the ECHR judgment on “Ilascu and others” case as regards the payment of compensations. Russia cannot do more than that “because it would interfere the jurisdiction of another sovereign state.” Lavrov was sure that those who adopted this judgment “were aware of its political nature.” The ECHR and the CoE’s Committee of Ministers continue to urge Russia and Moldova to execute the ECHR judgment by ensuring the release of the two prisoners of the Tiraspol regime.

Moldova backs Russia’s entry in WTO, but with some conditions

Moldova will back the entry of Russia in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), with the condition that this country respect the WTO norms accurately, the Moldovan prime minister has told a news conference held together with the head of the IMF Mission to Moldova. Vasile Tarlev avoided to make a connection between joining negotiations and exports of Moldovan goods to the Russian Federation, but noted that “all national interests will be taken into account during negotiations with Moscow.”

Minister of Economy and Trade Valeriu Lazar expressed the same stance, saying that the Moldovan authorities “make no connection between resumption of wine exports to Russia and the vote for entry of this country in WTO.” This statement replied the claims of the Russian negotiator to WTO that Moldova has conditioned the entry of Russia in WTO with annulment of restriction on importation of wines and vegetal production from Moldova.

Continued negotiations for unblocking of wine exports

The national television channel of Russia ORT — 1 Kanal broadcasted reportage in May about destruction of 8,000 bottles of Moldovan wines by a bulldozer, with all hidden regrets of many participants and witnesses of the process.

The MoldovaVin Agency has drafted an action plan aimed at resumption of Moldovan wine exports to the Russian Federation. The planned or take measures include the ban of use of pesticides of the 2nd security degree; creation of some commissions to inspect the wines stored at depots of exporting companies; creation of a state inspectorate to verify the quality of wines; inspection of all wines at the stage of making, bottling and delivery; inspection of vineyards and wine plants by representatives of the Russian sanitary service Rospotrebnadzor.

The Moldovan speaker has also hinted that the Russian Federation could resume the imports and he “did not rule out” the return of Moldovan wines to Russia next summer. However, many experts are sceptical over resumption of exportation of the previous quantity, especially because other foreign producers have already joined the Russian market and they promote an aggressive policy to enter the trade network.

Moldova in the world

The Ukrainian premier has told a news conference of participants in a sitting of the Moldovan-Ukrainian commission for commercial-economic cooperation that Moldova has a serious place in exports of electricity from Ukraine. According to Yekhanurov, Moldova could ensure the transit of energy to Romania, Bulgaria and other states, especially from perspective of construction of the power line Balti-Novodnestrovsk.

e-democracy.md