Written declaration No. 665 | Doc. 14649 | 11 October 2018

Calling on the Republic of Moldova to restore the rule of law

Signatories: Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Doris BARNETT, Germany, SOC ; Mr Michel BRANDT, Germany, UEL ; Ms Rósa Björk BRYNJÓLFSDÓTTIR, Iceland, UEL ; Mr Vernon COAKER, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Steve DOUBLE, United Kingdom, EC ; Alexander [The Earl of] DUNDEE, United Kingdom, EC ; Ms Miren Edurne GORROTXATEGUI, Spain, UEL ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Ms Ioanneta KAVVADIA, Greece, UEL ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr George LOUCAIDES, Cyprus, UEL ; Mr Rasmus Vestergaard MADSEN, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Roberto RAMPI, Italy, NR ; Ms Ulla SANDBÆK, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Mr Tommy SHEPPARD, United Kingdom, NR ; Mr Ionuț-Marian STROE, Romania, EPP/CD ; Ms Inna ŞUPAC, Republic of Moldova, UEL ; Ms Petra De SUTTER, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

The members of the Parliamentary Assembly are deeply concerned by the lack of justice independence and subordination of justice to particular political interests which are worsening in the light of the latest events in the Republic of Moldova.

The risk to be subject of revenge for delivering justice not supporting interests of the current power holding structures and fear of being prosecuted for ruling against oligarchic interests is perceived by the entire justice system as real and imminent, especially due to complete ignorance of international calls expressed in the written declarations Nos. 644, 637 and 614.

As mentioned in the report on “New threats to the rule of law in Council of Europe member States: selected examples” (Doc. 14405), developments that confront the entire justice system seem to be the major usurpation of functional independence of judges and lawyers, for example in the case of judge Domnica Manole.

Moreover, the lack of guarantees against such abuses is aggravated by illegal interference of secret services which are guided by political forces.

One example is the latest abduction of seven Turkish teachers, asylum seekers in the Republic of Moldova, taken by force by the Moldovan Intelligence and Security Service and delivered to Turkey for imprisonment.