Concerning the addition of the statement by the HR/VP Federica Mogherini on the situation in Moldova to the EP plenary agenda next week, GUE/NGL President Gabi Zimmer states:

“We requested this debate as we are seriously concerned about recent developments in Moldova, where € 1 billion vanished to offshore bank accounts from the Moldovan banking system. Unprecedented mass protests led to the break-down of the government on 29th October. The parties of the former government used the term “pro-European” as a fig leaf for their oligarchic leaders' domination of the country. Moldova is deeply troubled by this corrupt elite which dominates the political and media system and the country's economy.

We are especially concerned about political prisoners, namely Grigore Petrenco, and six other activists from the Red Bloc opposition party, arrested during a mass demonstration on 6th September, 2015 in Chisinau. This is the first time in the modern history of an independent Moldova that the leader of one of the opposition parties has been arrested.”

Grigore Petrenco and his colleagues, charged with the organization of and participation in mass riots, risk up to eight years in prison, because they were peacefully demonstrating in front of the Moldovan Prosecutor General’s Office. These charges and the prolongation of their arrests until 20th December 2015 contradict fundamental freedoms as well as the rule of law, as mentioned in the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.  Therefore we call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Moldova.

“I call on the Moldovan authorities to meet Moldova's obligations as a Member State of the Council of Europe and as a party to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).”

 

GUE/NGL Press Contact:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

Nikki Sullings + 32 483 03 55 75