Combating nationality discrimination in Moldova

Within the framework of the joint Council of Europe and European Union project “Supporting national efforts for prevention and combating discrimination in Moldova”, on 11 March 2016, the Council of Europe will organize a training course on Discrimination on ground of citizenship/nationality for the staff and members of the Moldovan Council for Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Ensuring Equality and for the staff of the Ombudsperson Office from Chisinau, conducted by two international consultants.

The training course will be designed to further increase the knowledge of the participants on the subject of Discrimination based on nationality/citizenship, also on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and of the European Social Charter in this area.

The project “Supporting national efforts for prevention and combating discrimination in Moldova” is part of the Programmatic Cooperation Framework for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus and it is implemented by the Council of Europe.

PACE rapporteurs : “credible reforms urgently needed in the Republic of Moldova”

Valentina Leskaj (Albania, SOC) and Ögmundur Jónasson (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, paid their first fact-finding visit to the country on 22-23 February 2016.

During our open and frank meetings with the authorities, we were assured that the country would remain committed to fulfill its obligations and commitments towards the Council of Europe. However, 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 perceived to control a significant part of political stakeholders and officials, the justice system and the economy, which could prove devastating for the democratic foundations of the country. The recent bank scandal – one billion dollars disappeared from the banks - adds up to the frustration, if not the despair, of the citizens; some of the young, educated people see no other option than leaving the country to find a brighter future, which in turn would have a negative long-term impact on the country.