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The chairman of the Parliament, Marian Lupu, the No.2 candidate on the electoral list of the Party of Communists, was quitted by his audience during an electoral meeting, as a sign of disagreement with social-economic policies promoted by the ruling party. This happened earlier this week in the village of Balauresti, the rayon of Nisponeri, with the meeting bringing together people from at least five neighbouring villages. Marian Lupu faced difficulties to handle bitter criticism of participants and blamed former premiers Dumitru Braghis and Vasile Tarlev. The audience quitted the hall as a sign of protest. Nisporeni is one of poorest rayons of the country and the criticism of people covered various areas. The key discussed issue was the condition of roads which have been deteriorated and not repaired for several decades. The access to some villages is almost impossible. (Source: Deca-Press)

In the context of the April 5, 2009 elections, the European Commission has provided funding worth 3 million Euros for projects aimed to monitor respect for international electoral standards. Conducting free and fair elections is a key commitment of Moldova according to the Action Plan established by the European Union within the European Neighbourhood Policy. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, stated: “This is an important indicator of our active interest for developing relations with the Republic of Moldova. As well, I encourage Moldovan authorities to do their best in order to consolidate the rule of law and implement all commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (Source: communication by European Commission)

Independent candidate to the parliamentary elections, Serhei Banari, says that a “joint anti-communist front” should be built to defeat the “red communist pest”. He notes that “all democratic parties except for PPCD and PSD” should join the anti-communist coalition. Building this coalition would clearly show to electors which parties would not make a coalition with the PCRM and would not cooperate with this party at all, should they succeed to the Parliament. Banari promised to send this initiative under the shape of a political agreement to all anti-communist political parties involved in the electoral race and he will announce their responses after a week. (Source: press release by independent candidate S.Banari)

The Association Tiras-Tighina, the movement of refugees from Transnistria, the League of police employees Justete, the Association of repressed and deported people, and the Association of war veterans Ungheni-Prut accuse Iurie Rosca, chairman of the Christian Democratic People’s Party (PPCD), of having betrayed the national liberation movement in Moldova. These accusations are part of a statement presented by Tiras-Tighina chairman Anatolie Caraman at a press conference on Thursday. “The EU TV channel, which Rosca laid hands on together with the communists, calls the war veterans «carton patriots», «suspect individuals», security agents, same faces of provokers,” reads the statement. It notes that Iurie Rosca “has privatised the seat” in the Parliament for 18 years and exploits unchastely the national values, and “Rosca talks about all opposition leaders but never the Party of Communists.”

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) urges the Government to take actions which would help farmers begin the spring works. PSD chairman Dumitru Braghis told a press conference that the 2009agricultural year could be endangered. PSD urges the executive to buy within 15–20 days all grain reserves of farmers from 2008 and to contract the 2009 crop within 30–40 days, so that producers to know what to expect and to understand the way they will be sustained in 2009. As well, Braghis recommended the Government to make a decision which would allow every citizen who leased land to get at least 1,500 lei per hectare. Now at least 490 lei is paid per hectare of leased land. Further, Braghis stressed that the Parliament should convene in an extraordinary sitting and redirect the allocations for agriculture. He fears that allocating funds to projects is irrational, as farmers should be funded directly. (Source: Info-Prim)

The social-political movement Ravnopravie will support the Centrist Union of Moldova (UCM) at the April 5 parliamentary elections. UCM leader Valerii Klimenco (the No.7 candidate on UCM lists) said that this party is capable to protect interests of Russian-speaking population from Moldova. “In order to prevent the voting of the PCRM and PPCD by Russian-speaking electors, we have decided to support Tarlev’s party, which wants to consolidate Moldova’s statehood, maintain friendly relations with Russia, develop Russian language, good neighbourhood relations with Ukraine and Romania.” Earlier, Climenco has said that V. Tarlev “is a false friend of Russia.” Now he claims to have changed his opinion about Tarlev: “We have been attracted by UCM and by the fact that this is the only party on which lists 30 percent of candidates represent national minorities… We supposed that Tarlev was to blame for many business problems in Moldova when he was prime minister. We were told so, but in fact all the problems emerged from the entourage of President Vladimir Voronin.” He added that “Russia does not care who will win the elections. Russia is ready to cooperate with those ready to cooperate with her.” UCM lists include four Ravnopravie members. (Source: Infotag)

The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) has released a communication saying that a Moldova-Russia interstate cooperation programme on humanitarian area for 2009–2010 was signed during the February 24, 2009 visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Chisinau. The document was signed on behalf of Moldova by Victor Stepaniuc, who was relieved from the office of deputy prime minister and was formally on holidays to participate in the electoral campaign. Therefore, Stepaniuc usurped the official quality of deputy prime minister by signing an international document. By doing so, the representative of the Party of Communists violated the legislation in effect and seriously harmed the image of Moldova. PLDM asks the Prosecutor-General’s Office to investigate this case and the Central Electoral Commission to decide on conduct of electoral candidate Victor Stepaniuc. (Source: PLDM communication)

The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) has addressed an appeal to all participants in the electoral campaign for the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections, as well as upon the Central Electoral Commission, media watchdog CCA, Board of Observers of the National Public Broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova. It reads: “given the fact that Teleradio Moldova is the only TV station authorised to air football matches within the Champions League in Moldova, PCRM recommends this station to change the airtime for electoral debates on March 10 and 11, in order to air football matches instead.” PCRM invites all participants in the electoral race to make common cause on this issue, in order to allow soccer fans to watch the sounding matches from the Champions League. (Source: Moldpres)

The Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) accuses “the administration of Teleradio-Moldova (TRM) and other servants of the communist clan” that “by pretending to be smart, they are trying to use even the Champions League in order to make up the image of the PCRM… Even more, the Teleradio-Moldova administration has set electoral debates for March 10 and 11 instead of soccer matches, which schedule was known long ago. I am sure that this is more than professional negligence; this is a new machinery of the communist staff Elections 2009, which strategy aims at discrediting electoral debates inclusively. It is true that soccer fans would have a negative reaction, should they lose the chance to watch the Champions League.” “In my quality of AMN chairman and electoral contestant, I do not invite but demand the TRM administration to change the airtime of electoral debates from March 10 and 11, as well as for other days when they may affect the broadcasting of major public events. I declare that AMN does not accept to participate in the debates scheduled this way to irritate many TV watchers.” (Source: AMN press release)

The Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) proposes a plan to remedy consequences of the world crisis on domestic economy. AMN leader Serafim Urechean fears that the world economic crisis “has hit Moldova very much,” stressing that its effects “will be disastrous for Moldova.” AMN representatives attested the deterioration of situation in all economic areas, inclusively the financial-banking system, agriculture, processing industry, construction. In this context, AMN promises to implement actions aimed at reducing the impact of the recession, inclusively to raise the basic insurance amount per individual account holder up to the equivalent to 20,000 Euros, to build a national credit guarantee fund for small and medium business, to introduce a 7-percent single income tax for individuals etc. (Source: Info-Prim)

The Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) claims that Moldova’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, Valerian Cristea, is in Moldova and canvasses for the Party of Communists. PDM first deputy chairman Oleg Serebrian stated that he was witness of such a situation in the village of Chitcanii Vechi, the rayon of Telenesti some days ago. Serebrian called this situation “stupid” and noted that he will appeal the CEC and Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan in this respect. (Source: Deca-press)

The chairman of the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM), Dumitru Diacov, regards the demand seeking supplementary polling stations abroad raised by many political parties in Moldova as “very strange” and “Moldovan-style”. “No one will find a country in the world which would organise elections in another country in which it does not have a diplomatic representation. The demand to open supplementary polling stations in Spain, for example, is very Moldovan.” (Source: Omega; Moldova.org)

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) formally launched on February 26 its observation mission for parliamentary elections in Moldova. The head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, Ambassador Nikolai Vulchanov (Bulgaria) told a press conference that the mission is made up of 13 international experts and 24 long-term observers will arrive in early March. Another 200 short-term observers will be deployed on the Election Day to 100 polling stations nationwide. The mission will publish two interim reports, one in the mid-March and another one two weeks later. Preliminary conclusions on election observation will be formulated after elections, on April 6, and a report in this respect will be released two months after elections. (Source: Moldpres)

The chairman of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), Eugeniu Stirbu, has met the special envoy of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on frozen conflicts, Ambassador Charalampos Christopoulos. Talks focussed on preparations for the April 5, 2009 parliamentary elections, in particular, the voting by nationals from other countries and Transnistrian region. The CEC chairman noted that the legislation allows just polling stations in countries where Moldova has diplomatic representations. As regards the participation of citizens from Transnistria in elections, Stirbu said that two electoral constituencies have been set up for this region, but the Tiraspol administration opposed the establishing of lower electoral bodies. In these conditions, supplementary polling stations will likely open on the right bank of the Dniester. (Source: CEC communication)

The Journalists Union of Moldova (UJM) condemns the irresponsible behaviour of the Chisinau communist authorities and seeks the support of affiliated regional, European and international journalists’ organisations in protecting rights of the media and journalists in Moldova. In connection with the storming of the Nisporeni-based TV station “Albasat TV” by a police team on Monday, UJM demands the immediate dismissal of Interior Minister Gheorghe Papuc and appeals to law enforcement bodies to react. A police team from Chisinau stormed on February 25 morning the TV station Albasat TV, member of the Euronova Media Grup which also includes TV Euronova and radio station Vocea Basarabiei, saying that they were on a control mission. Albasat TV director Efim Bardan demanded the policemen to present a warrant explaining the reasons and purpose of the unexpected raid and control. A member of the group replied that the police credential is the warrant and they will call the task force should their access to offices be restricted, hinting that they were on a no-postponement emergency mission. Accountant Mihai Pintilie and editor-moderator Natalia Pintilie were sequestered for several hours. (Source: Unimedia; NewsIn; PRO TV Chisinau)

The media watchdog CCA raises concern with the actions taken by employees of the Interior Ministry on February 25, who stormed the headquarters of the Nisporeni-based TV station Albasat and intimidated journalists, says a communication by the CCA press service. CCA, as representative and guarantor of public interest in the broadcasting area and authority in charge with protecting journalists inclusively, asks all state and nongovernmental institutions and all citizens to avoid and prevent actions capable to bring to bear on or threaten journalists, obstruct or restrict effectively their profession. In order to elucidate the Nisporeni case objectively, CCA asked the Interior Ministry to provide more information in this respect. (Source: press release by CCA)