MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
14.3.2006
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Elizabeth Schroedter
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on human rights in Moldova, in particular in Transnistria
B6‑0183/2006
European Parliament resolution on human rights in Moldova, in particular in Transnistria
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Moldova, in particular its resolutions of 18 December 2003 and 24 February 2005,
- having regard to its resolution on the European Neighbourhood Policy of 19 January 2006,
- having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Moldova and the European Union (EU) which was signed on 28 November 1994 and entered into force on 1 July 1998,
- having regard to the statements of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Summit in Istanbul of 1999 and the OSCE Ministerial Council in Oporto of 2002,
- having regard to the Action Plan for Moldova adopted by the seventh EU-Moldova Cooperation Council on 22 February 2005,
- having regard to the interim resolution adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 1st March 2006 concerning the judgment of the European Court of human Rights (ECHR) of 8 July 2004 in the case of Ilascu and others against Moldova and the Russian Federation,
- having regard to the joint declaration on customs of the Moldovan and Ukrainian Prime Ministers of 30 December 2005 whereby Ukraine only recognises Moldovan customs stamps and Moldova facilitates the registration of Transnistrian enterprises in Chisinau,
– having regard to Rule 115 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the European Neighbourhood Policy represents a great opportunity for Moldova to enhance its political, economic and cultural relations with the EU recognising its aspirations and ambitions to play a strong role in the reunified continent,
B. whereas a genuine and balanced partnership can only be developed on the basis of shared common values with regard, in particular, to democracy, the rule of law and respect for human and civil rights,
C. whereas the region of Transnistria declared independence in 1992, after an armed conflict involving Russian troops, which is still destabilising the whole Moldovan Republic and undermining its sovereignty,
D. whereas the situation in this breakaway republic has given rise to continuous problems and concerns about the widespread level of criminal activities and organised crime, the illegal manufacture and sale of weapons, the pervasiveness of corruption throughout society, the existence of a deeply rooted black market, money laundering and an unofficial and grey economy based also on smuggling and all sorts of illicit trafficking,
E. whereas the Council decision to deploy the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) engages further the EU to uphold the territorial integrity of Moldova and shows its willingness to involve itself more deeply in the resolution of the conflict,
F. whereas human rights in Transnistria are massively violated with regular harassment and detention of people suspected of being critical to the present regime, a restrictive regulatory framework for the media, intimidation of journalists, threats of violence to Latin script schools and control of NGOs,
G. whereas the self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities continue to refuse compliance with the ECHR ruling to put an end to the unlawful and arbitrary detention of Andrei Ivantoc and Tudor Petrov-Popa,
H. whereas Andrei Ivantoc has been on hunger strike since 27 February of this year in protest at the inhuman and degrading treatment applied by the employees of the penitentiary in Tiraspol;
1. Strongly condemns the repression and harassment, the threats and the intimidations of representatives of independent media and critical people, members of the opposition and NGOs by the Transnistrian regime; deplores the unwillingness of this regime to engage fully in efforts to reach a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the Transnistrian conflict; welcomes therefore the extension of the EU visa ban on members of the Transnistrian regime;
2. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to continue their efforts towards putting an end to the unlawful and arbitrary detention of Mr Andrei Ivantoc and Mr Tudor Petrov-Popa and securing their immediate release; strongly urges the Russian authorities to pursue actively all effective avenues capable of putting an end to the unlawful and arbitrary detention of both prisoners and secure their immediate release; calls on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to take immediate action and adopt all the necessary measures in this direction;
3. Urges the Moldovan Government to continue the process of reforms so as to improve the rule of law and redress corruption in the institutions in compliance with the engagements stemming from the action plan and to step up efforts in the fight against any trafficking in human beings;
4. Welcomes the constructive cooperation between the different political parties in the Moldovan Parliament; recognizes the importance of the reforms regarding the independence of the judiciary, the intelligence services, legislation on elections and the Court of Auditors; underlines the importance of the implementation of these and other reforms without delay;
5. Takes note of the Law on preventing and Combating Trafficking in Persons, enacted on 20 October, providing for free social services for victims of trafficking; calls on the Moldovan authorities for further clarification on how the implementation will be funded; stresses the importance of providing additional funding and staff for advisory bodies on trafficking in women and of greater cooperation on the part of non-governmental organizations active in this field;
6. Welcomes the implementation of the Joint Declaration on Customs of the Ukrainian and Moldovan Prime Ministers of 30 December 2005; calls on the economic actors of the Transnistrian region to register with the relevant authorities in Chisinau in order to comply with international trade standards and on the Moldova authorities to facilitate such registration so as to promote the flow of goods across the border; calls on the self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities not to block this registration;
7. Welcomes the deployment of the European Union's Border Mission to Moldova and Ukraine as a further direct contribution of the EU with a view to finding a viable and sustainable solution to the Transnistria conflict;
8. Calls on the Commission and the EU Special Representative for Moldova to follow closely the situation and make every effort so as to prevent the present border crisis from escalating and to deal with the relevant humanitarian problems;
9. Stresses that any solution to the conflict between Moldova and Russia should respect the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Moldova and the constitutional provisions concerning the independence, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the state;
10. Takes note of the positive, though on some points critical, declaration of the Moldovan Parliament concerning the Ukrainian initiative to settle the Transnistria conflict; calls on all the parties involved to fully engage themselves in the 5+2 negotiations and come to a political settlement of the Transnistria conflict;
11. Calls on Russia to reaffirm its commitment to Moldova's territorial integrity and to withdraw its troops, including their heavy weaponry and munitions, unconditionally; underlines that the troops, according to the decision taken at the 1999 OSCE Summit in Istanbul, should have been withdrawn by the end of 2002; calls on the Council to include this item on the agenda of the next EU-Russia summit;
12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government and Parliament of Moldova, the Government of Romania, the Government of Ukraine, the Government of Russia, the Secretary-General of the OSCE and the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe.