Written declaration No. 480 | Doc. 12593 | 04 July 2011

Unjustified damage to the image of the Moldovan Parliament

Signatories: Ms Ana GUŢU, Republic of Moldova, ALDE ; Mr Denis BADRÉ, France, ALDE ; Mr Laurent BÉTEILLE, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Olena BONDARENKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Anne BRASSEUR, Luxembourg, ALDE ; Mr Igor CORMAN, Republic of Moldova, SOC ; Mr Arcadio DÍAZ TEJERA, Spain, SOC ; Ms Doris FIALA, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Ms Claude GREFF, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Stella JANTUAN, Republic of Moldova, SOC ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Jean-Claude MIGNON, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Hermine NAGHDALYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Ms Liliana PALIHOVICI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Mr Tudor PANŢIRU, Romania, SOC ; Ms Carmen QUINTANILLA, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Armen RUSTAMYAN, Armenia, SOC ; Ms Arūnė STIRBLYTĖ, Lithuania, ALDE ; Mr Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Mr Jordi XUCLÀ, Spain, ALDE ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Ms Naira ZOHRABYAN, Armenia, ALDE

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

In the written declaration (WD no. 474-Doc. 12579) "Homophobic speech by members of Moldova's parliament and intimidation of LGBT human rights defenders", signed by a group of Parliamentary Assembly members, there is a discrepancy between its accusatory title and its groundless content. There have been no homophobic speeches by any member of the Moldovan Parliament, a fact easily attested by all the documentary evidence, such as video recordings, minutes of parliamentary discussions and media coverage.

The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights initiated hearings and public debates related to the National Human Rights Plan with a large participation of members of Parliament and NGO representatives, concerning the adoption of the anti-discrimination law.

After further improvements, the Government will send the draft of the anti-discrimination law back to the Parliament for adoption.

It is regrettable that Assembly members have been misled into signing a baseless declaration, thus becoming accomplices in spreading lies which damage unjustifiably the image of a member state of the Council of Europe.