The deteriorating situation in Moldova is to be seen first hand by a fact finding mission by the conference of presidents and then debated in the European parliament plenary session next week.

Violence in the country has escalated following the recent elections in which the Communist government is claiming victory amidst accusations of electoral fraud.

Member of the foreign affairs committee Richard Howitt told The Parliament.com he was “pleased that the mission is going” as “Moldova is a crucial part of the neighbourhood.”

He explained he believes that “Europe should be integral in building democracy in Eastern Europe” and the “region has a strategic importance for Europe as a whole.”

The move by the conference of presidents is important, he says, as “the preliminary report talks about obstacles and it’s important to get facts on that.”

Moldovan authorities have launched a tough crackdown on those protesting against the election results, with two people reported to have died this week in clashes with police.

Howitt says, “In the protests that followed the elections there have been illegal detentions and human rights abuses” and as the vice-chair of the human rights committee in the parliament he strongly believes, “We should be supporting human rights aside from bilateral relations”

Comments from the Moldovan government suggest Romanian influence behind the rioting, claims which the country has strongly denied.

The Romanian foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu made an analysis of the situation at an extraordinary meeting of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee and the delegation for relations with Moldova this week, saying the accusations from the Molodovan president were “utterly unfounded” and “absurd.”

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, chair of the foreign affairs committee replied to the minister saying, “”We will always show solidarity with Romania as this country is a member of the EU.”

Diaconescu argued that Romania had been “very moderate” and said it remained “open to a rapprochement” with Moldova, despite the introduction of visa requirements for Romanian citizens and the arrest and expulsion of 24 Romanian journalists from Moldovan territory. “These measures should produce a coordinated condemnation from the EU”, he added.

Reports are coming out of the country that there are as yet unsubstantiated claims from some quarters that the win by the Communist party was due to instances of electoral fraud, such as votes cast by deceased citizens.

However, “Real progress” was observed by comparison with the previous election in 2005, according to deputy Marianne Mikko who chairs the parliament’s delegation for relations with Moldova and led the recent election monitoring mission to the country.
 
Nevertheless she pointed the finger at the “preferential treatment” granted by public broadcasting services to the ruling communists. “No proof of fraud was found but everything seemed to work too smoothly on election day”, she said.
 
The Moldovan opposition’s objections to a recount – on the grounds that this would divert attention from irregularities linked to the constitution of electoral lists – were supported by MEPs Marian-Jean Marinescu, Laima Liucija Andrikiene and others.

http://www.theparliament.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/eu-fact-finding-mission-to-review-situation-in-moldova/