Brussels, 16/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Romania is calling for a “resolute and coordinated response” from the European Union to protest against the “unacceptable and anti-democratic” reaction by the Moldovan authorities to the protests that followed parliamentary elections on 5 April. By arresting hundreds of protestors (contesting the Communist Party's electoral victory) and violently repressing demonstrations in Chisinau, President Vladimir Voronin (himself the leader of the Communist Party) “went beyond the limits” and has flouted “European values”, said Romania's Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu, speaking before the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee that met on Wednesday 15 April in Brussels for an extraordinary sitting with the EP delegation for relations with Moldova. The Romanian minister thus refuted the “totally unfounded” and “absurd” accusations of the Moldovan president who alleges that Romania is at the origin of the unrest that followed the proclamation of electoral results ten days ago (on the basis of these accusations, Chisinau expelled the Romanian ambassador, his deputy and several Romanian journalists and reintroduced a visa obligation for all Romanian citizens). Until then, the Moldovan leaders had not provided any element of proof to support the thesis of Romanian involvement in the country's political crisis, Diaconescu stressed. Despite considerable tension with its neighbour, Romania has remained “very moderate” and its reaction has been “balanced and mature”, the Romanian minister said. “We have not retaliated and we will not do so”, he asserted. The Romanian government nonetheless decided on Wednesday to ease procedures allowing Romanian citizenship to be recovered. This measure was primarily aimed at the Moldovans (some 800,000 out of a population of 4 million) that have already submitted requests along these lines. On Thursday, the European Commission spokesman refused to comment on this decision which, he said, has still to be approved by the Romanian parliament.
Bucharest remains keen on improving bilateral relations with Chisinau as well as on closing the gap between the EU and Moldova “as long as this is done in compliance with European principles, values and standards”, Diaconescu told MEPs. The EU should use “every possibility available to it” to help the country get back on the democratic track, the minister concluded, welcoming the European Commission's decision to send a fact-finding mission to Moldova to examine the events that took place after publication of the election results on 6 April.
A recount of the votes was carried out on 15 April, but the results are not expected for another few days. Opposition parties all boycotted the recount saying it would distract attention from the irregularities linked to the constitution of electoral lists.
Preferential treatment but no indication of fraud. On Wednesday, MEPs also heard a report by their Estonian colleague, Marianne Mikko (PES), who chaired the EU observer mission for elections on 5 April. In her view, “real progress” has been made compared to the earlier 2005 ballot. Nonetheless, the Communist Party in power clearly benefitted from “preferential treatment” by public radio/television broadcasters. On the other hand, “there was no evidence of fraud” on the election day, she added. Her personal feeling was, however, that “everything went too perfectly, too smoothly”. Ms Mikko backs the demand made by the Moldovan opposition for further verification of the electoral lists in order to detect any irregularities. The recount on 15 April must not be an obstacle to further investigation into the constitution of lists of citizens authorised to vote, she said.
Eastern Partnership. The chairman of the foreign affairs committee, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP-ED, Poland), expressed the hope that the current crisis would not have an impact on EU/Moldova relations as a whole. “We still hope to strengthen our cooperation with Moldova which is a very important country for the Union's future relations with the neighbouring region” to the East, he said. Chisinau should therefore take part in launching the Eastern Partnership foreseen for 7 May in Prague, Saryusz-Wolski said in response to remarks made by President Voronin, who recently intimated that his country may not take part in this new policy.
The EP plenary session, to be held next week in Strasbourg, is also expected to discuss the political crisis in Moldova and to adopt a resolution, Mr Saryusz-Wolski announced. (H.B./transl.jl)