Protecting rights of citizens on left bank of Dniester and Bender municipality - major priority for Moldovan authorities

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Roman Roșca participated today in a regional roundtable - Monitoring human rights in conflict-affected areas, organized by the Ombudsman's Office in cooperation with the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and the Council of Europe.

During the session 'Human Rights in the Transnistrian Region of the Republic of Moldova', the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the unresolved Transnistrian conflict continues to generate serious violations of fundamental rights, including cases of illegal detention, intimidation and restriction of freedom of expression and movement. Although the authorities do not currently exercise effective control over the region, the state makes constant efforts to protect citizens and facilitate access to legal, medical and social assistance.

'Freedom of expression in the Transnistrian region remains heavily restricted. Citizens who express critical opinions risk persecution and illegal detentions', said the Deputy Prime Minister.

The official also mentioned the problems faced by Romanian-language schools on the left bank of the Dniester and Bender municipality, reiterating the authorities' commitment to insist on the restitution of these institutions' premises and to ensure adequate operating conditions for students and teachers.

Additionally, the importance of cooperation with international partners and civil society was highlighted for more effective monitoring of the human rights situation and the implementation of European Court of Human Rights decisions.

The interaction with the OSCE Mission was also emphasized, whose teams have had the opportunity in recent years to visit and inspect the situation of some illegally detained individuals.

'Protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens in the Transnistrian region remains a major priority for the constitutional authorities. We are committed to promoting a constant dialogue with international partners and strengthening interaction platforms with the Transnistrian region to effectively address and solve all issues related to human rights observance', Roman Roșca said.