U.S. Government Reports on Moldova

2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Moldova

Moldova is a parliamentary republic with power divided among a president, a cabinet, a unicameral parliament, and the judiciary. In 1990 separatist elements supported by Russian military forces declared a "Transdniester Moldovan Republic," which lies east of the Dniester River along the border with Ukraine. This authoritarian, secessionist regime continues to control Transnistria today. Unless otherwise stated, all references that follow exclude the secessionist region. Parliamentary elections in March 2005 generally complied with most international standards for democratic elections. The following month parliament reelected Communist Party leader Vladimir Voronin to serve a second term as president. The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas. Security forces beat persons in custody, there was incommunicado detention, and prison conditions remained harsh. Other problems included harassment and intimidation of select political opposition figures by the authorities and widespread corruption throughout society and government, particularly in the law enforcement and judicial sectors. Security forces monitored political figures through unauthorized wiretaps. There was intimidation of journalists, and the government’s attempts to privatize two municipal broadcasters, Antena-C and EURO-TV, sparked international criticism. Several religious groups continued to have problems obtaining official registration. Societal violence and discrimination against women, children, and Roma persisted. Trafficking in persons remained a serious problem, although the government took steps to address some aspects of the problem.

The human rights record of the Transnistrian authorities remained poor. The right of citizens to change their government was restricted, and authorities interfered with the ability of residents to vote. On September 17, authorities conducted a referendum on the region's independence and future accession to Russia. Authorities claimed that a large majority of Transnistria's voters supported the proposal; however, the referendum was not monitored by independent observers. On December 10, elections for "president" of Transnistria returned the incumbent, Igor Smirnov, to power. However, the election was marked by problems, and as with previous elections in the separatist region, voting was not monitored by internationally recognized observers and results could not be independently verified. Transnistrian authorities continued to use torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention, and prison conditions remained harsh. They also harassed independent media and opposition lawmakers, restricted freedom of association and of religion, and discriminated against Romanian speakers and Romanian-language schools that used Latin-alphabet textbooks for teaching.

The U.S. strategy for promoting human rights in the country continued to focus on strengthening the rule of law, good governance, and independent media; encouraging an active civil society; curbing corruption; and combating trafficking in persons by enhancing the government's law enforcement and victim-protection efforts. The U.S. Government also worked closely with EU countries on programs to help improve the country’s prospects for future EU membership. In addition, the U.S. Government cooperated with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict in Transnistria. The U.S. Government also expanded its efforts to promote the growth of democratic civil society in the separatist region.

U.S. democracy assistance in Transnistria, although limited, continued to reach out to civil society activists who remain committed to democratic principles and encouraged interaction between the separatist region and the rest of the country. Programs included educational and professional exchanges and training, support for a legal aid clinic, and efforts to promote democratic institutions at the local level.

With regard to the Transnistrian conflict, the United States worked through the OSCE and directly with the government and other mediators to help resolve the situation in a manner that respects the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Moldova. At international fora, the U.S. Government continued to stress that separatist authorities in Tiraspol should agree to an exchange of military information, the monitoring of Transnistria's military-industrial enterprises, and an international assessment that would facilitate free and fair elections. In addition, the United States urged the authorities to resolve the plight of farmers who have been denied access to their fields and to rescind a decree that prohibits NGOs in the separatist region from receiving funding from external sources.

To promote democracy and the country's political process, the U.S. Government played a key role to ensure that elections in December for governor of the autonomous Gagauzia territory in the southern part of the country complied with international standards. During the election campaign, U.S. officials and their EU counterparts repeatedly urged the government to conduct fair elections and to allow equal campaign opportunities for all candidates. U.S.-sponsored assistance programs provided support and technical assistance to NGOs to support voter-education campaigns, to provide training for members of elections commissions, and to conduct media and election monitoring. U.S. officials met with Gagauz authorities, candidates, and election officials prior to, during, and after two rounds of voting on December 3 and 17. Both OSCE and Council of Europe observers stated that the elections were held in a calm and orderly manner and complied with most international standards. During the year U.S.-sponsored assistance programs in Gagauzia helped develop leadership and democratic initiatives at the grass-roots level by helping citizens build coalitions, local democratic party structures, and policy platforms.

U.S.-sponsored exchange visits for members of parliament gave them an opportunity to meet with their Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts to learn first-hand about building democratic institutions and how to integrate into European structures. In addition, the United States supported programs to assist parliament in developing information systems that allow legislators to research laws and to communicate more effectively with each other and with the public.

The U.S. Government promoted media freedom and freedom of speech through direct diplomatic efforts and through programs involving the country's media, including exchanges, grants, and training courses for journalists on freedom of the press, speech and professional journalistic standards. U.S. officials urged government authorities to ensure that reforms in the country's broadcast sector lead to tangible improvements, and to properly implement a new broadcast code that regulates the activity of private television and radio stations, the government-controlled public broadcaster Teleradio Moldova, and the Audiovisual Coordinating Council. The United States also called on parliament to ensure that the members of Teleradio Moldova's supervisory board be selected in a transparent manner that is based on merit and professional experience. U.S. officials urged municipal authorities involved in the privatization of two Chisinau public broadcasting stations, Radio Antena-C and Euro-TV, to ensure that the outlets continue to operate free of government pressure and influence.

During the year many independent media outlets received U.S. grants for projects to increase their independence and to promote pluralism in news reporting. For example, during the year U.S. media experts traveled to the country to work with the Independent Press Association on improving newspaper marketing and with several television stations on upgrading management skills. In addition, the U.S. Democracy Commission's small grants program helped support efforts to promote independent media, increase public access to libraries and data bases, and provide training in citizenship and community support.

In the autonomous Gagauzia region, U.S. grants helped to restore the operation of a local television station and to consolidate the partnership established between NGOs and local media. With regard to Transnistria, the U.S. ambassador hosted a roundtable for seven Transnistrian journalists, which was well received as an enhancement of the dialogue between the United States and residents of the separatist region. The U.S. Government supported an independent radio station in Ribnitsa, which broadcast programs on the development of civil society in partnership with NGOs in Transnistria, and provided a grant to an NGO from Tiraspol to train 16 young journalists on how to report social issues.

The U.S. Government directly supported NGOs and civil society through its Community Connections program, which brings residents of Eurasian countries to the United States. During the year 69 midlevel Moldovan professionals traveled to the United States for up to five weeks to observe best practices in the fields of health, education, and social assistance, and transparency in government.

The United States supported several efforts to promote the rule of law and combat corruption and engaged senior government officials on the need to seriously address corruption. In December U.S. and Moldovan officials signed a two-year agreement for a program designed to reduce persistent corruption in the judiciary, the health care system, and the tax, customs, and law enforcement agencies. The program, which will help reform and strengthen the government's primary anticorruption agency, the Center for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption, builds on U.S. efforts begun in 2005. It will provide management expertise, technical assistance, and training to the center and to the prosecutor general’s office with the goal of fighting corruption and increasing the effectiveness of general law enforcement and the government's antitrafficking efforts. The United States helped the government to adopt a so-called guillotine law, which eliminated 189 costly regulations, reduced opportunities for corruption, and made it easier to start and operate a business. The U.S. Government also issued 10 grants to NGOs to promote academic integrity in educational institutions by involving students and faculty members in the development, discussion, and implementation of honor codes.

During the year the United States continued to press its concerns for religious freedom in the country, in particular urging the government to register several religious organizations that had been denied registration by the State Service for Religions. In December the state service, responding to a high court ruling, registered the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ending its six-year legal struggle to obtain government recognition. In January the U.S. ambassador hosted a religious liberty reception, to which he invited government officials and leaders of religious organizations active in country. At the reception, he encouraged minority religions to seek the rights enshrined in international human rights covenants and urged the government to continue its progress in registering religious organizations.

During the year the U.S. ambassador and other officials continued to emphasize the importance of combating trafficking in persons. A U.S. Government antitrafficking initiative endorsed by President Bush provided support to create a network of transitional living and educational facilities to reduce the risk that vulnerable young persons and former trafficking victims may fall prey to trafficking. The United States also funded several programs to address the economic roots of trafficking by improving access to counseling, job training, and legitimate employment opportunities. The U.S. Government continued to support the work of the Center for the Prevention of Trafficking in Women, which cooperated with the government to investigate trafficking cases, prosecute traffickers, establish data bases, and provide legal counseling and representation for trafficking victims.