Statement on Transnistria
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Press Release Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit Ref: 479a04 Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93 Fax :+33 3 90 21 41 34 [email protected] internet: www.coe.int/press 46 members Monitoring Committee demands from Tiraspol that harassment of children ceases Albania Andorra Armenia Strasbourg, 05.10.2004 - The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of Austria the Council of Europe made the following statement today: Azerbaijan Belgium “We unreservedly condemn the conduct of the Transdnestrian administration in the Bosnia and dispute on the status of Moldovan schools teaching in latin script that operate in the Herzegovina territory under their de facto control. Schools in Tiraspol, Ribnita, Tighina, Grigoriopol, Bulgaria Dubasari, Corjovo and Roghi were closed during the summer holidays and parents and Croatia children were refused access upon their return. These methods are blatantly violating Cyprus the right to education enshrined in Article 2 of Protocol N° 1 to the European Czech Republic Denmark Convention of Human Rights and should cease immediately. Moreover, a boarding Estonia school for orphans in Tighina is still without regular access to running water, gas or Finland electricity and during the month of August Transdniestrian militia was even preventing France the delivery of the food to some eighty children staying at the boarding school at the Georgia time. Germany Greece This crisis is taking place against the background of an escalation in tensions between Hungary the Tiraspol administration and the Moldovan government. In recent weeks, the Iceland Moldovan Minister of Education who wished to discuss the school situation with the Ireland Italy Transdnestrian side was arrested and deported, a journalist and several Moldovan Latvia policemen were beaten up. The Moldovan government responded by introducing a Liechtenstein trade embargo while Tiraspol is blocking the export of electricity and railway links. Lithuania Luxembourg The increasing number of incidents is a cause of grave concern; the Committee wishes Malta that an immediate end be put to this situation. Moldova Monaco As to the crisis concerning the Moldovan schools, the Committee demands from Netherlands Tiraspol that harassment of children, teachers and parents ceases immediately and Norway Poland unconditionally. The conditions for normal functioning of all schools concerned, with the Portugal status and in the circumstances in which they operated in the past, must be created Romania until such date when a solution will be reached in negotiations with the Moldovan Russia government and the participation of the international community. San Marino Serbia and The Committee is aware of the complexity of the Transdnestrian conflict and Montenegro understands that the search for a lasting solution will require a lot of effort, patience and Slovakia goodwill. However, Tiraspol must understand that the international community will not Slovenia tolerate an inadmissible behaviour which is depriving school children of food, electricity, Spain Sweden running water and education in order to settle political scores with the legitimate Switzerland government of the Republic of Moldova. “The former Yugoslav Republic of Some 1,500 schoolchildren have now been prevented from attending school for more Macedonia” than a month, including several hundred orphans, who virtually have nowhere to stay. Turkey This is intolerable. The Committee also calls on the Russian authorities still present on Ukraine the Moldovan territory to use their influence and help to bring this crisis to an end. United Kingdom For more information, see http://assembly.coe.int or http://www.coe.int/PAsession The Parliamentary Assembly brings together 630 members from the national parliaments of the 46 member states. President: Peter Schieder (Austria, SOC); Secretary General of the Assembly: Bruno Haller. Political Groups: SOC (Socialist Group); EPP/CD (Group of the European People's Party); LDR (Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group); EDG (European Democratic Group); UEL (Group of the Unified European Left). .