The Solidaritätsnetz International organization, which works to protect human rights and democratic freedoms in Europe and beyond, expresses deep concern about an information of the systematic restriction of the autonomous rights, civil liberties and political representation of the Gagauz people in the Republic of Moldova, as well as their political leader.
We are also closely monitoring the developments around the criminal prosecution of Mrs Eugenia Gutsul, the democratically elected Bashkan of the Gagauz Autonomy, which raises serious doubts regarding its political motivation and compliance with the principles of the rule of law.
Our organization:
1) Announces the start of independent monitoring of the situation regarding the observance of the rights and freedoms of the residents of Gagauzia;
2) Will study all available legal and factual grounds for the charges against Mrs Eugenia Gutsul;
3) Send requests to the Council of Europe, the UN, the OSCE and the European Union asking them to assess the actions of the Moldovan authorities in the context of the country’s international obligations in the field of ethnic minority rights;
4) Plans to conduct a “field mission” and collect testimonies from residents of the region, including representatives of local governments, civil society and the media;
5) Calls on the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to immediately ensure full transparency of judicial processes, respect for the autonomous status of Gagauzia and the prevention of politically motivated pressure on its legally elected representatives.
We reaffirm our commitment to protecting the rights of all peoples, including peoples without their own state, and emphasize that sustainable development of European democracy is impossible without respect for minority rights, regional autonomy and political pluralism.