A week in Moldova. A first class trip into dictatorship...(part 1)

A week of terror and dictatorship…murders, sexual abuses and torture. Three persons died.

This is what Moldova is passingthrough, starting with April 7, 2009,when the protesters manifested against rigged elections by storming the buildings of the Presidency and the Parliament.

The second day after the events, PresidentVoronin, leader of the winning Communists Party in April 5 elections blames the opposition for organizing a coup d’etat and Romania for being involved in it. He declares Romanian Ambassador persona non grata and imposes visa regime for all Romanian citizens.Meanwhile, the Police and Security Service is detaining and arresting youth, breaking procedural laws. They are cruelly bet and maltreated.

Allegations of sexual abuses against detained girls have been reported. Two persons have already died. A feeling of terror and insecurity has been installed in the capital city of Chisinau.

Events that took place raised a lot of questions, but also signals and proofs that might help find out what has happened. On the day of April 7, the protesters stormed the Presidency and the Parliament. The takeover lasted just several minutes. How was this possible? Why did the Police withdraw so quickly from both buildings? Why did the Ministry of Interior bring troops of very young policemen aged less above 20 to protect two most important buildings of the state? Why the same person hoisted the flags of EU and Romania on Presindency and then the flag of EU on the Parliament building? Why a policeman assists the protesters to hoist the flag on the building of the Parliament? Why the firefighters din not act immediately, but let the Parliament burn till late evening? Why does the police break a fence into stone pieces on the same day of the April 7 protests? Who are those groups of organised people, dressed in black and wearing sun glasses that instigate protesters and are very agressive? Why do policemen change themselves from uniforms into plain cloths behind the Government building and get infiltrated in the crowd protesting in the National Square? Why the Public TV Moldova 1, the only nation wide broadcasting channel, broadcasts dancing shows while the protests? Why the news on Moldova 1 show just wounded police and destruction? Why the Communists publish 1 mln copies of their newpaper and send it over in the villages? Why Communists stopped the verification of election lists? And why the inernational community does not have a clear message, while Russia urges the Moldovan Government to install order?

In the next pages, you will find information and links collected from local media and translated into English, to give a better understanding about the events that have happened next week

and and how it will shape Moldova in the near future.

APRIL 6, 2009

The results of the Parliamentary Elections from April 5 organized in Moldova, with the communists winning the majority of votes, shocked Moldovans. People, mainly youth, declared April 6 as a national mourning day, considering that election results have been rigged.

They organized themselves through internet and social networks to protest and express their indignation Think Moldova together with Hyde Park called young people today, April 6, at 6.pm at the statu of Stefan cel Mare from the Centre of the city. „If you did not vote for the Party of Communists take a candle and get on the street. The youth declares the day of April 6, the National Mourning Day”, announce the organisers of the event.

Source: Ziarul de Garda

Around 6 p.m. local time, people started to gather in the centre of the city, at Stefan cel Mare Statue. With candles in their hands, and mobilized by two NGOs, they marched towards the Presidency building, shouting: “Freedom”, (Libertate!) “Get out” (Afară!), “Down with the communists”(Jos comuniştii), One, two, one two, take communists to the garbage can (Unu doi, unu doi – comuniştii la gunoi). Meanwhile, the international observers make declarations, qualifying elections correct and with no violations of election standards. Statement by Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on the Parliamentary Elections in the Republic of Moldova (5 April 2009) “I am pleased that the elections for the fifth Parliament of the Republic of Moldova were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner and in an overall pluralistic environment. I wish to congratulate the Moldovan people for their active participation in these elections, which confirms their commitment to democracy in their country. Nevertheless, I have taken note of the Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions made by the OSCE-led International Election Observation Mission, which shows that further efforts need to be made, including at the legislative level, to ensure an electoral process free from undue administrative interference, to guarantee full respect for freedom of expression and access to information as well as to increase public confidence in the process. Therefore, I call on the newly elected parliament to work expeditiously on implementing the Mission’s recommendation once they are finalised. I look forward to the further development of EUMoldova relations and the implementation of political

and economic reforms including the strengthening of rule of law and fundamental freedoms that have been discussed in the course of our dialogue with the Moldovan authorities under the previous legislature.”

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Speaking in Chisinau on Monday 6 April Estonian Socialist MEP Marianne Mikko “noted real improvements in comparison with the 2005 parliamentary elections” explaining that polling stations officials and voters were fully aware of electoral procedures. Ms Mikko noted however that “further efforts must be made, in particular with regard to the position of the public broadcasting organisations”. The international observers, in a joint statement, said that “the media provided constant opportunities to candidates to convey their message but that state broadcasters had blurred the distinction between the role of state officials and their campaign activities.” The statement goes on to say that the campaign “was affected by frequent allegations of intimidation of voters and candidates, and claims of misuse of administrative resources”. Ms Mikko also voiced concern in relation to the low numbers of registered voters

(just 22,000), among Moldovans living abroad who number between 600,000 and 1 million.

APRIL 7, 2009

Hundreds of young people in massive flows are gathering on National Square. They have tricolor flags and anticommunist slogans. The young people come in columns from all attached streets. Yesterday, “10a.m.” (Mâine la 10!) has being shouted as a message to thousands of young people, to meet again and to protest against the rigged elections and the disregard of the

youth democratic option by central public authorities.

(Source: Ziarul de Garda)

Around 12 am, almost 10.000 people are between the buildings of two important state institutions: the Presidency and the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. Policemen, mainly youngsters, equipped with protection helmets and shields form a cordon in front of the Presidency and Parliament. The protesting crowd shouts anticommunist, but also pro-Romanian slogans, such are “We are Romanians”, and “Unification”. The first row of protesters, mainly athletic guys, is very active and aggressive. They are trying to provoke the police and the other protesters as well.

Around 1 am, violence erupts. Protesters start to throw stones in the Presidency building and police; however the law enforcement does not react. At a certain moment, the group of Police protecting the Presidency and the one protecting the Parliament is moving towards.

The General Prosecutor Office qualifies as illegal and inadmissible the actions of organizers

and participants at the meeting from April, 6, 2009, under the name „Mourning Day”.

Thus, on April 6, Ghenadie Brega with the active participation of the leaders of some political parties (V. Filat, A. Tanase, V. Ungureanu, V. Pavlicenco, O.Cernei, V. Nagacevschi etc.) has organised a meeting, where several hundred of people participated.

The purpose of the meeting was to protest against parliamentary election results from April, 5.

Several provisions of the Law on assembly have been infringed. (art. 6, 16, 18, 19), according to which: the meeting must be peaceful; the organizer has the right to organize the meeting only in the form, place and terms indicated in the declaration; the participants have the obligation to respect the laws and public order. In reality, a lot of legal provisions have been violated and the organizers have permitted to hinder the main transportation routes, to damage and turn down

the public transportation means, to attract minors, to participate in a state of drunkenness, to mock persons. The organizers did nit respect the obligation assumed by them previously, they shown irresponsibility which affected public order, they did not ensure maintenance of law order. As a result of these actions, the meeting got transformed into a mass disorder.