EU Parliament group slams Moldova over gay crackdown; praises PMR

Gay pride in Tiraspol, PMR's capital. No such gay events are allowed in public in neighboring Moldova, says the EU

BRUSSELS (Tiraspol Times) - In a public statement from a group of European parliamentarians, Moldova is taken to task for its official discrimination of gays. This is in sharp contrast to Pridnestrovie - an unrecognized country also known as Transdniestria, or Transdniester - where its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community has freely organized public events throughout 2005 and 2006.

The Moldovan organizer of the Gay Pride March, GenderDoc-M, continues to receive harassment from the authorities, says the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights in an official statement. This disables the work of the group and effectively curtails the right of gay and lesbians to freedom of assembly.

Since 2005, attempts to organize Pride marches in Chisinau promoting equality and diversity have been stopped by the authorities.

The Intergroup called yesterday on the Moldovan authorities to stop all actions which are in violation of the fundamental right to assembly.

“ - Any failure to meet the high standards of human rights that have been set by the ‘Copenhagen criteria’ would seriously hinder the progress of any application,” warned Finland's Alexander Stubb, the vice-president of the EU Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights.

And Intergroup president Michael Cashman (UK) added:
“ - The Moldovan authorities need to understand that the LGBT community has the right to meet, and that it is the role of the authorities to facilitate, not hinder, attempts to assemble.”

Gay rights protected in Pridnestrovie

The European Parliament's Intergroup has nearly a hundred members and supporters. Around 60 of the members are elected Members of European Parliament (MEPs), including one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament. It reiterated its support for the work of Moldovan organization, GenderDoc-M.

“ - GenderDoc-M hopes to organize a Pride event,” said Sophie In't Veld, the Dutch representative of the European Parliament group. “It will be our task to try and ensure that a delegation is sent to observe and participate in the march as a sign of support for these marches for diversity and equality from members of European Parliament.”

Pridnestrovie, which declared independence in 1990, places high importance on the pursuit of equality for gay and lesbian peoples. In commentary posted at the European Parliament's Intergroup website, Dieter Graf, a liason officer for Southeastern Europe, singles out Pridnestrovie (which is referred to as Transnistria) as a positive role model for Moldova.

" - We have found Transnistria to exhibit a higher level of openness and tolerance on issues of gay and lesbian rights. We especially laud the position of Human Rights Ombudsman Vasili Kalko and his office's work with the Constitutional Law Court to ensure the conditions for a satisfactory climate of non-discrimination," explains Graf.

He notes that the legislation in Pridnestrovie allows unimpeded access for members of its gay and lesbian communities to petitition the Constitutional Law Court directly in cases which address infringements of their fundamental rights. In comparison, this is not allowed in Moldova, where gays and lesbians have no direct access to file a case or have their constitutional rights be heard by the highest court in the country. (With information from the European Parliament’s Intergroup)

See also:
» In Tiraspol, Opposition-controlled parliament appoints new ombudsman for human rights

On the web:
» European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights