PACE co-rapportuers point out to public mistrust in Moldovan authorities
CHISINAU. Feb 29 (Interfax) - Valentina Leskaj (Albania, SOC) and Ogmundur Jonasson (Iceland, UEL), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of obligations and commitments by the Republic of Moldova, pointed out to the high degree of mistrust in the Moldovan authorities, according to their joint document that was posted on the PACE website on Monday, following their visit to Chisinau on February 22-23.
"Various interlocutors, including representatives of civil society, expressed their deep concern, mistrust and lack of confidence in parliament, government and state institutions which seems to be widespread. We also felt that there is a widely shared feeling that the country has been "captured" by oligarchs," the document says.
"In this adverse context, the authorities in place bear a special responsibility towards the population," the-rapporteurs said.
"Authorities are expected to deliver credible reforms that have an immediate impact on the consolidation of democratic institutions We therefore, encouraged the authorities to adopt, and above all, implement, the announced reforms pertaining to the independence of the judiciary, the plurality and independence of the media, the fight against corruption, and the consolidation of the banking system," the authors of the document believe, noting that they were given assurances that the country would stand by its commitments to the Council of Europe.
The report says that during the visit, the PACE representatives discussed with the Interior Minister measures taken during the massive protests outside of the parliament building, on January 20. They urged Moldovan law enforcers "to further show restraint, and refrain from using excessive force."
"We urged that all allegations of police misconduct, not to mention allegations of fabricated evidence, must be convincingly investigated in order to ensure trust in the police," the report says.
"In this context, we hope that the authorities will also refrain from undertaking any legal action against protesters, that could have a chilling effect on critical voices", the co-rapporteurs concluded.
Leskaj and Jonasson also expressed the opinion that the court hearings of the case of former prime minister Vlad Filat should be open to the public.
"We hope that these hearings can soon become public, as it is in the public interest to have the process be as transparent as possible," they concluded.
The co-rapporteurs called for a fair and transparent handling of the case of both Filat and former MP Grigore Petrenco.
"We reiterate our call that Mr. Petrenco, as any other citizen, should be entitled to a fair trial with full procedural guarantees. The setting up of a parliamentary sub-committee chaired by the opposition, as proposed by the Speaker of the parliament, could play a useful role in this respect to supervise the procedure," the co-rapporteurs note.
They welcomed the release of Petrenco and his supporters from a remand facility, and their placement under house arrest.
Vlad Filat is charged with abuse of power and large-scale corruption, while Petrenco and six other people are charged with provoking rioting during a protest action, outside of the Prosecutor General's Office on September 6, 1915.
