Foreign Affairs on July 17–31, 2007

European integration

Sitting on implementation of EUMAP

The chief of state held a sitting on implementation of the European Union — Moldova Action Plan (EUMAP) on July 24, 2007. Taking part in the sitting were important decision makers from central public institutions. President Voronin stressed the need of implementing the EUMAP goals in the due terms, in order to bring Moldova closer to the “European standards and values on multiple plans, including the free move of citizens, goods and capital.” Also, it was noted that every institution must respect its action plan agreed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and it was stressed the need to remedy the shortcomings related to implementation of EUMAP signalled at the June 2007 Luxembourg meeting of the E.U.-Moldova Cooperation Council.

We recall that the E.U. has underlined at that meeting the “need for Moldova to redouble its efforts aimed at implementing democratic reforms in crucial areas such as respect for human rights, freedom of the media and respect for the rule of law, including the independence of the judiciary. It also stressed the importance of a transparent business environment and anti-corruption fight.”^[1] (Bold — ADEPT)

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Romania

Public talks on two of the existing problems related to the Moldova-Romania relationship have been resumed in the period covered by this issue of the journal. In particular, the citizenship issue and the problem of opening of two Romanian consulates in Moldova have been discussed. President Vladimir Voronin has resumed the talks.

President Voronin has accused Romania during a broadcast aired by TV channel NIT that it profits of the situation when Moldovans cannot travel to the E.U. without visas and proposes them the Romanian citizenship.

The chief of state delivered this statement shortly after Kalman Miszei, E.U. Special Representative for Moldova, would recently invited Romania to restrict the citizenship awarding procedure. According to the Bucharest Ministry of Justice, 2,430 applications for Romanian citizenship have been accepted after the simplified citizenship awarding procedure was suspended in 2002, compared with 98,000 applications accepted before.

Elsewhere, Voronin said that Moldova will not open two Romanian consulates in Balti and Cahul in the near future because of the lack of “a mutual interest”. Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu replied that Bucharest is still interested to open two consulates in Balti and Cahul and revealed that his ministry has reiterated a request in this respect to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.

Republic of Moldova — Russia

After having demanded samples from five Moldovan wine companies such as Vismos, Calarasi-Divin, Buket Moldavii, DK-Intertrade and Kvint (all with Russian capital), the Russian food security supervisor Rospotrebnadzor allowed the first three wineries to export their production to the Russian market.

According to Valeriu Mironescu, director of Moldova-Vin Agency, the decision to test the wines of five companies only is discrimination and it is unknown so far how the choice was made.

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has also raised dissatisfaction with this decision by Rospotrebnadzor and described it as unacceptable for Chisinau. He noted that either all Moldovan enterprises or none of them will be authorised to export, and instructed the Moldova-Vin director not to issue excise stamps as long as Russia does not accept all Moldovan producers.

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe

Respect for CoE recommendations

Speaker Marian Lupu told a summary news conference on activity of the Parliament that all legislative actions stipulated by cooperation programme between Moldovan Parliament and CoE have been implemented during the spring-summer 2007 session with two exceptions. He indicated the failure to adopt in the second reading the draft law on political parties and their financing and the Education Code.

It is worth to note that this programme should be implemented in 2005–2006. Secondly, the Parliament is late to adopt new laws on status of the Chisinau municipality and consolidation of parliamentary immunity; it did not condemn so far the principle of dismissal of Comrat mayor by People’s Assembly of Gagauzia and did not investigate many criminal charges brought against opposition leaders at national and local levels — all these actions are stipulated by the programme concerned.

ECHR judgment

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) passed a judgment on Gorea vs. Moldova on July 17. The Strasbourg-based Court indicated the violation of Article 5§1 of the Convention (legality of jail) , as Grigore Gorea was jailed without a legal warrant after the term of the arrest warrant issued on his name has expired. Moldova was told to pay 9,000 Euros to the applicant in non-pecuniary damages and 2,500 Euros in costs and expenses, as well as any other fees which will be paid from these amounts. The ECHR has sentenced Moldova in 68 cases until now, obliging it to pay damages worth approximately 1.43 million Euros to applicants.

↑ EU Council (2007), EU-Moldova Cooperation Council Ninth meeting, Luxemburg, 19 June, EU Press Communiqué, 11009/07 (Presse 143)

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