The European Parliament, Concerned about the Monopolisation of the Media Market and other ‘Regressions of Democratic Standards in the Republic of Moldova’. An Appeal to the Authorities to Investigate the Bank Frauds Found in the Kroll Report

The European Parliament (EP) assessed the level of implementation of the Association Agreement (AA) with the Republic of Moldova, four years after signing this document. The estimates were based on the findings of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, that, according to the report ‘provide a contrasted image’.

Among other things, the Committee on Foreign Affairs emphasizes its concerns regarding media and civil society: ‘the monopolisation of media and advertising market, the weakening of independent news outlets, the overdue implementation of the new audio visual code, the attempts to limit the freedom of action and discredit representatives of civil society.’
In this context, the EP expresses its grave concern ‘about backsliding in relation to democratic standards in Moldova’, with core values, to which Moldova had subscribed as part of the AA.
In particular, the EP is concerned about proceedings that target human rights defenders, independent judges such as Domnica Manole and Gheorghe Balan, journalists and critics of the government or of the President of the Democratic Party of Moldova, Vladimir Plahotniuc.
At the same time, high European authority reiterates its calls, ‘based on the findings and recommendations of the first and second Kroll reports, which should be published in full, for a swift and transparent prosecution of all those responsible for the USD 1 billion bank fraud unveiled in 2014’, and ‘stresses the need for the courts to stop failing to follow up on solid evidence and to promptly examine the cases that are pending or undergoing investigation, notably case of Ilan Sor’.

Whilst calling on the Moldovan authorities to urgently address these concerns in line with AA and other bilateral commitments, the report also outlines the position of the PE in response to these developments.
Thus, according to the report, ‘any decision on future Macro Financial Assistance disbursements should only take place after the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2019 and on condition that they are conducted in line with internationally recognised standards and assessed by specialised international bodies. In this respect, the European Parliament reiterates its readiness to observe the next parliamentary elections.

Furthermore, according to the EP, the payment of all budget support programs should also remain on hold until meaningful progress in democratic standards takes place.
PE document also states that, in the meantime, funds should be reallocated to support civil society and independent media in Moldova, as well as the private sector and local authorities.