Foreign Affairs on April 16 – May 1, 2009

European Integration

Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in 2008. Progress Report on the EU-Moldova Action Plan (EUMAP)

On April 23, the European Commission has released the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2008 (Communication), and individual progress reports for ENP countries and intermediate sectoral report.

The main conclusions of the Communication:

The 2008 year was a difficult one for the ENP implementation. It was marked by more destabilising events: violent conflicts in Georgia and Gaza strip, gas crisis between Russia and Ukraine in January 2009, global financial and economic crisis;
Despite this contest, have been made progress in trade and competition policy, tax and customs reforms, improvement of business environment;
Insignificant progress have been made on democratic reforms, good governance and human rights, while corruption remains a problem;
Have been launched two new regional initiatives (Union for the Mediterranean and Eastern Partnership) that will strengthen the ENP.

The Country report on Moldova’s progress made on the implementation of the EU- Moldova ENP Action Plan between January — December 2008, come complete the conclusions set by Communication. According to the European Commission, Mldva has made progress in reform of the judicial system, the agreement to publish reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, positive cooperation with the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) and the EU on regional and international issues, active leadership in regional cooperation fora. Nonetheless, Moldova made no or limited progress in the effective implementation of a number of reforms in key areas of EUMAP — ensuring the fundamental freedoms of citizens, addressing some market and regulatory issues, and enforcing effectively national strategies in areas such as the fight against corruption, drugs and trafficking in human beings, or in sectors such as transport and energy. Were not solved the deficiencies reported in 2007, such as inadequate allocation of resources, delays with the adoption of secondary legislation or insufficient political backing that constitute lasting impediments to the implementation of internal reforms. Moreover, according to the European Commission, the electoral law adopted in view of the April 2009 general elections constituted a regression.

Note by ADEPT: Both the Communication and the Moldova Progress Report has no concrete mention of the future operational instrument for Moldova, instead of the Action Plan expired in February 2008.

Sitting of National Commission for European Integration (CNIE)

A sitting of the National Commission for European Integration chaired by the outgoing President Vladimir Voronin took place on April 30. It focussed on three topics: 1) the conclusions of the Progress Report on Implementation of EUMAP in 2008 issued by the European Commission; 2) the elaboration of a new Action Plan on Human Rights; 3) the evolutions in Moldova-EU relations and foreign policy priorities for the next period.

Vladimir Voronin toldRO the sitting that “Moldova should focus all efforts on negotiating a new agreement with the European Union, which should include very ambitious measures for our country.” In particular, it should provide an associated member status, a deep free exchange regime with the EU and the free circulation of Moldova’s citizens in the EU. As well, Brussels should give a clear political signal to Moldova to encourage it on the European integration path. According to the president, the Moldovan leadership has political firmness, competences and organisational skills to implement the future Moldova-EU agreement, and in order to impel the European integration process the president ordered the opening of a new subdivision in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to focus on European integration only. At the same time, Voronin noted that Moldova has a very reserved attitude towards the Eastern Partnership which will be launched in Prague on May 7. However, Moldova will be represented in Prague by Andrei Stratan, minister of foreign affairs and European integration.

In his turn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan said that his ministry has finished the report on preparation of Moldova to negotiate a new agreement with the European Union and trained 110 national expert negotiators in diverse areas who will negotiate with representatives of the European Commission in Brussels, Luxembourg and Chisinau. (According to a presidential press release)

Note by ADEPT: CNIE chairman Vladimir Voronin has probably forgotten that under Government Decision # 644 from 1 July 2005 concerning the structure of the central administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the ministry already has a European integration department.

Post-electoral fact-collection visit by European Parliament (EP) delegation to Chisinau

During April 26–29, a delegation from the European Parliament (EP) led by Estonian EP member Marianne Mikko was on a fact-collection visit to Chisinau. The visit was preceded on April 23 by a debate in the European Parliament regarding situation in Moldova, with an EP resolution being expected on May 7. During the visit, the delegation met human rights organisations, ombudspersons, journalists, leaders of the three opposition parliamentary parties, representatives of the Government and Prosecutor’s Office, members of the Central Electoral Commission, former speaker Marian Lupu, dozens of arrested young people. EP members visited police commissariats and Prison No. 13.

At the end of visit, the EP delegation has presented its preliminary documentation results. Delegation has ascertained grave violations of human rights after the April 5 parliamentary elections and lack of press and editorial freedoms on the public TV channel “Moldova 1”. The delegation’s report submitted to the EP leadership on April 29 has confirmed these preliminary conclusions. Thus, according to the report, the EP Delegation concluded that the human rights, rule of law and the respective European conventions were severely violated in the post electoral period. Besides, both the conduct of the electoral process and the subsequent actions taken by government indicate major deficiencies in Moldova’s judicial and democratic system, and show a propensity to stifle free speech and independent media. The delegation has also considered the setting up of an independent investigation commission for inquiring the post-electoral events, with presence of members appointed by the opposition and international experts, is a key element in starting a genuine reconciliation process in Moldova. At the same time, the delegation insists on a stronger EU engagement in the country through the ENP and the Eastern partnership process.

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Romania

The Moldova-Romania relations are blocked for an indefinite period. After the Moldovan authorities accused Romania of meddling into Moldova’s interior affairs and expelled the Romanian ambassador to Moldova, Filip Teodorescu, on April 16, the Republic of Moldova recalled its ambassador in Bucharest. At the same time, the Moldovan authorities refused through a verbal note the candidacy of Mihnea Constantinescu to the office of head of the Romanian diplomatic mission in Chisinau and asked their Romanian fellows to nominate somebody else, but did not explain their decision. In reply, Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu saidRO that he will demand the suspension of talks on the EU-Moldova agreement at the April 27–28 meeting of EU foreign ministers (GAGRE). This appeal was not made, while at the GAGRE meeting Cristian Diaconescu said that Romania will purposefully back the European prospect of the Republic of MoldovaRO. According to Diaconescu, Romania will not support the suspension of negotiations between the Republic of Moldova and European Union because the actions of the Chisinau Government should not be mixed up with the normal European aspirations of Moldovan citizens. This position was reconfirmed by Romanian President Traian Basescu, who stated on April 26 that Romania keeps being coherent in supporting the European path of the Republic of Moldova, regardless of the political colour of the new Moldovan government.

Note by ADEPT: So far, Moldova did not nominate any ambassador to Romania. At the same time, the visa requirements imposed to Romanian citizens are effective despite many calls by European officials to restore the Moldova-Romania relations and statements by the Chisinau political opposition regarding illegality of the visa requirements.

Republic of Moldova — Russia

The Moldova-Russia relations have improved on background of the post-electoral situation in Chisinau. The Russian authorities keep supporting their Moldovan fellows and their actions aimed to manage the political crisis produced by the post-electoral protests, describing them as a “coup d’etat attempt”RU. In an interview with the Russian channel NTVRU, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev described the protests in Chisinau as anti-constitutional, saying that they were held after the scenario of “coloured” revolutions.

On April 24, before the meeting with the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the European Union Council, Moldova’s outgoing President Vladimir Voronin met the Russian ambassadorRO in Chisinau, Valeri Kuzmin. The meeting focussed on issues related to the current situation in Moldova, perspective to develop Moldovan-Russian relations, prices of energy resources supplied by Russia to Moldova, as well as possibility of the Russian Federation to provide a technical credit to Moldova to modernise the road infrastructure.

Republic of Moldova — People’s Republic of China

The Moldovan-Chinese relations are stirring up. After Chinese President Hu Jintao has greeted outgoing President Vladimir Voronin in connection with the victory of the ruling party at the parliamentary elections, Vladirmir Voronin met the Chinese ambassador to Moldova, Shi Longzhuang, on April 29. During the meeting, the Chinese ambassador appreciated the way the Moldovan authorities managed the April 7 crisis, greeting the state leadership for overcoming the crisis and stabilising the social-political situation in country. As well, the sides discussed the possibility of the Chinese side to grant a technical credit to Moldova to implement investment projects on infrastructure development, especially of transport. (According to a presidential press release)

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe

Documentation visit of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights to Chisinau

From 25 to 28 April, 2009, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, visited Chisinau to asses the situation on human rights after the post-electoral events in Chisinau. The Commissioner met the Ministers of Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs, a parliamentarian from the Communist Party, the Prosecutor-General, the Ombudsman, members of the national mechanism for the prevention of torture, leaders of the political opposition, representatives of civil society and media, as well as persons detained in connection with post-electoral protests. The Commissioner also visited the General Police Directorate in Chisinau and the Prison no.13. At the end of visit, Commissioner Hammarberg concluded that after the post-electoral protests, took place numerous violations of human rights by the police and insisted on the criminal and disciplinary punishment of all policemen guilty of violating the human rights, as well as on the review of their superiors’ behaviour.

Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

On April 29, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) held debates on the post-electoral situation in Moldova based on the reported worked out by PACE members, Josette Durrieu (France, SOC) and Egidijus Vareikis (Lithuania, EPP/CD). Following the debates, a resolution (Resolution 1666) was adopted. The resolution contained the following statements:

PACE disapproves the accusations of the Moldovan authorities immediately after the outbreak of violence against the opposition on the attempt to organise a coup d’Etat;
APCE is strongly concerned about acts of violence that were committed by the police during the post-electoral events, and urges the authorities to start immediately an independent and thorough investigation of all these allegations of violence, and that those responsible for these violations be brought to trial;
With a view to improving confidence in the country’s democratic institutions, the Assembly urges Moldovan authorities to resume reform of electoral legislation, to suspend the application of articles of the Election Code prohibiting people holding double citizenship from exercising elevated public functions, to continue national and local media reform, to increase the effectiveness and professionalism of the courts, to reform the police, to transfer responsibility for pre-trial detention from the Interior Ministry to the Ministry of Justice etc.;
APCE calls on Moldova and its neighbours and partners, particularly Romania, Ukraine and Russia, which are also members of the Council of Europe, to play a constructive role in calming the tensions and promoting dialogue between all the political stakeholders, while respecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity;
APCE urges the political stakeholders to recognise the decision of the Constitutional Court confirming the results of the elections and to engage in an inclusive political dialogue with a wide participation of extra-parliamentary forces and civil society in order to develop their vision for the country’s future, on the basis of democratic principles and European integration they subscribed to;
The new Parliament should promptly draw up and adopt an Action Plan with concrete measures and deadlines on the implementation of the Assembly recommendations contained in this and previous PACE resolutions.

PACE will examine the progress achieved by the Moldovan authorities and the opposition with regard to the implementation of this and previous resolutions on June 2009.

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