Youth: "OSCE undermines democracy by passing premature judgment"

Breakthrough's Alena Arshinova tells OSCE: "If you want to slam our elections, at least see them first."

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - Earlier today, the political party and youth group Breakthrough staged a protest rally in Tiraspol to denounce what they consider a blatant set of double standards and anti-democratic actions by a group whose charter commits it to promote democracy; the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

An estimated 100 to 150 protestors gathered in front of the international organization's office in downtown Tiraspol holding banners with slogans such as “De Gucht, you are wrong,” “No to double standards,” and “Yes to referendum!” The banners referred to a statement issued a week ago by OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, who said that he would not recognize the independence referendum which is scheduled for 17 September 2006, claiming that a referendum on the country's future status could only be possible "provided the necessary conditions for a free and fair vote are in place."

In what Breakthrough sees as undermining democracy, he declined to specify what those conditions are, and have flat out refused to send observers or to otherwise help Tiraspol organize elections which would meet or exceed these unspecified OSCE-standards.

"Send observers first, then say what you want afterwards"

Youth group and political party Breakthrough (Proriv, in Russian) does not understand how OSCE on one hand claims to promote democracy, yet at the same time condemns the most democratic way of deciding Pridnestrovie's status: Letting people vote.

The group's spokesperson, Alena Arshinova, declared:
" - OSCE attacks democracy by passing premature judgment on something that hasn't even taken place yet. If someone from a different country takes it upon himself to slam our elections and wants to call them not free or not fair, then at least he should see them first. Send observers, report on what you see with your own eyes, up close and first hand. Then afterwards, you are free to say what you want about the freedom of our elections. But don't report on something which you haven't even seen yet."

Echoing these statements, Breakthrough member Alex Ostapchuk said in an interview to the Regnum News Agency:
" - Pridnestrovie's youth wants to live and develop in a free and sovereign state. We oppose the double standards of the OSCE mission. What democracy and what justice can they talk about if even before referendum on the status of the Republic was held, the OSCE acting chairman Karel De Gucht issued a statement declaring that the results of the nation-wide voting will not be recognized and the very fact of holding the referendum is illegal? Is this observing the right of the people for self-determination? Breakthrough opposes double standards.”

Call for closing of structures suppressing democratic values

Earlier this year, the youth group sought to have its voice heard in the settlement dialogue but was met with a closed door from local OSCE representatives. According to Breakthrough, the snub reaffirmed the youth group's conviction that OSCE's mission in the region is not about promoting democracy, because if it was, then the free will of the population should be the main factor in determining their freedom and their own future.

However, ten days ago, on 18 July, Moldovan parliamentary speaker Marian Lupu said that Pridnestrovie can only "really be democratized" after certain unnamed structures "suppressing democratic values are closed". He did not name the structures but a local activist suggested that he could be referring to the OSCE office in Tiraspol, which, in the words of Petru Gladchi, "has in the past refused to send observers to oversee local elections and which has already declared that it will not recognize the results of PMR's scheduled 17 September referendum."

Pridnestrovie - also known unofficially as Transnistria - declared independence in 1990. Moldova refused to accept the declaration and fought a brief war in 1992 to gain sovereignty over the young and emerging country. Since that date, the two sides have been in settlement talks, with Pridnestrovie's elected government insisting that the population of the country should be allowed to decide its own future in a free and democratic referendum.