Moldovans in PMR publish book denouncing Moldova

A new book compares Moldova's Vladimir Voronin, shown, with Haitian dictator Baby Doc Duvalier (Photo copyright: Itar-Tass)

SLOBOZYA (Tiraspol Times) - Moldovans from the town of Slobozya, in southern Pridnestrovie, are busy putting the final touches on a translation of a book which will be published in Romanian and in English before the local Moldovan elections in June. The book, titled The Dictator and His Model, is their answer to questions about why they will boycott the elections and why they don't want to see Pridnestrovie join with Moldova in a unified state.

" - Usually people are surprised when they hear that the Moldovan minority here in Transnistria supports independence of Transnistria from Moldova," says Petru Gladchi, an ethnic Moldovan who was born near Tiraspol, the capital of Pridnestrovie, or Transnistria, as it is called in Romanian - also known as Transdniester in English, named after the Dniester river which forms the border with Moldova.

" - Moldovans make up just under 32% of the population here. But most of us support independence," says Gladchi. "We don't want to join with Moldova, and this new book is our attempt to explain why."

The cover of the new book which draws parallels between the methods of repression used in Moldova and Haiti under its past dictatorship

The Dictator and His Model has already been published in Russian, by the 'Europa' publishing house. Now, through the efforts of Moldovans in Southern PMR, it is being translated to English and Romanian.

Lack of legitimacy

Authored by Alexander Boiko and subtitled "Moldova - Power Without Legitimacy", the book explains that even though a president is democratically elected, this in itself is no guarantee that he will govern as a democrat.

" - Hitler was also democratically elected. And so was Mussolini. Being democratically elected is a good start, but it is what you do afterwards that matters," says Gladchi. "If you abuse your power and turn your country into a corrupt family business, then you have betrayed the trust of the people who elected you. Under Vladimir Voronin, Moldova has earned a human rights record so bad that even his Western friends are forced to speak out. Meanwhile, here in Transnistria, things are finally improving and we got a human rights ombudsman in 2006."

" - Fortunately, for us here, we are not forced to join Moldova. We have a choice. If a government abuses basic human rights or acts in ways that are not democratic, then we have a right to stay away and govern ourselves on this side of the border," says Gladchi. "It is called self-determination and it is in the United Nation's Charter. So now we refuse to recognize the authority of Vladimir Voronin over Transnistria. As this book documents, he does not accept the checks and balances of democracy, and he is violating Moldova's constitution. Voronin behaves like a tinpot dictator, and not like the public servant that a president must be, according to the constitution. This was not what the long-suffering people of Moldova elected him to do."

Comparisons with Haiti

The new book compares the methods of control and personal enrichment used by the so called "Voronin clan", a clique of influential family members and political operatives with ties to the armed forces of the former Soviet Union. It then compares these methods with Haiti under the Duvalier family.

Although these two presidents seemingly don't have anything in common, the actual examples - when compared - tell a different story. Haiti under the Duvaliers became a high-profit family oligarchy, and the same has happened with Moldova under Voronin.

On the basis of extensive factual materials, a picture emerges of strong similarities between the two family regimes: Their handling of political opponents, treatment of their countries' economies, the attitude toward the international community, and paying lip service - but not more - to democratic norms and obligations.

In the foreword to the book, members of Slobozya's Moldovan community make it clear that, given a choice, they prefer Pridnestrovie.

" - The situation is not perfect here either," says Petru Gladchi. "But at least here, we work together and can be heard. In Moldova, at worst we are seen as traitors for siding with Transnistria. Or at best, we are seen as resources that can be abused and exploited by a handful of elite Chisinau insiders in the Voronin family's circle. This is not propaganda. It is fact. Read the book and see the clear examples for yourself."

Moldovans call for Voronin's resignation

It is not only Pridnestrovie's Moldovan minority who are against Vladimir Voronin. In Moldova itself, where Moldovans make up 75% of the population and hold 99% of all government jobs, the pro-democracy opposition is now becoming desperate as political freedoms and human rights are deteriorating.

On Monday, opposition leader Dumitru Bragish from Moldova's persecuted Social Democratic Party publicly called on Vladimir Voronin to step down.

" - The people doesn't want to live in the police state that you and your oligarchy have created. I call on you, Mr. Voronin, to resign," wrote Social Democrat Dumitru Bragish in an open letter to the Europe's only Communist President. Holding a press conference in Chisinau Monday, the opposition leader stated that the main obstacle to change and reform in Moldova is President Vladimir Voronin and the Communist Party.

The leader of the Social Democratic Party of Moldova (SDPM) Eduard Musuc was recently freed after having spent several months in prison. Arrested in September of 2006, he was held against his will on what he himself considers trumped-out and politically motivated charges.

Social Democrats in Moldova believe that they are being persecuted and intimidated in order to discredit and destroy the party. Eduard Musuc pleads innocent and says that all charges against him are of political nature.

See also:
» Son of Moldova's president defends his riches: "I don't steal other companies"
» US foreign policy org: "Moldova is a failed state"

On the web:
» The Dictator and His Model (Original publisher's website)
» Moldova: Model to follow ... or human rights disaster?