Brussels, 02/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 1 December, the European Union welcomed the holding of parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova on 30 November. “We take note of the OSCE/ODIHR's statement (…) stating that these elections 'were characterised by a wide choice of political alternatives and were generally well administered, although the de-registration of one electoral contestant shortly before election day raised questions about the timing and circumstances'”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.
The leader of the delegation of six MEPs who observed the elections, Igor Soltes (Greens/EFA, Slovenia), hailed the high turnout rate. “We observed long queues of electors wanting to exercise their democratic right, in an orderly and peaceful way, without major irregularities”, he said. Soltes nevertheless criticised the law on funding political parties, the media coverage and the lack of women on the electoral lists. The pro-European parties have reportedly carried the vote by a small majority in the face of the pro-Russian parties. Voter turnout rate was said to be 56%.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz commended the “orderly” elections, adding that an “ambitious European reform programme” was “now crucial for closer ties with the EU”.
In their joint press release, Mogherini and Hahn stated that the EU now looked forward to “the swift formation of an inclusive and accountable government, as well as a constructive opposition”, adding that new impetus to key reforms will be “crucial” for the Republic of Moldova's political association and economic integration with the EU. Mogherini and Hahn said that the EU was ready to continue its “close cooperation” with the Republic of Moldova on its path towards more transparency, rule of law and a stronger market economy, and they said that the EU would remain a “reliable” partner supporting the Republic of Moldova's reform endeavours and working towards the association agreement.
They stated that the EU remains “committed” to working with the future government “towards a comprehensive, peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova with a special status” for the separatist region of Transnistria. (CG)