The Movement of Orthodox Lawyers and other like-minded non-governmental organizations denounce as “discriminatory” a recent decision by the Extraordinary Commission on Public Health (CNESP) that requires vaccinated teachers to produce coronavirus tests at their own expense once every two weeks. The NGOs ask the government to reconsider or else face legal action and protests.

Elena Bîtcă, of the Movement of Orthodox Lawyers, declared during a press conference that under the Moldovan law vaccination cannot be mandatory. Imposing any restrictions on the unvaccinated, she argued, is discriminatory, since the vaccinated can transmit the virus, too.

Elena Bîtcă went on to declare that in the last two weeks Moldova has seen “a wave of discrimination”. She claimed that in some districts, family doctors refuse to issue medical certificates to children if at least one parent is not vaccinated, while school principals allocate fewer hours to unvaccinated teachers. There are also reports, went on Bîtcă, that doctors refuse to consult unvaccinated patients, while employers tell staff they could lose their bonuses if they refuse to be immunized. Unfortunately, said Elenea Bâtcă, the government turns a blind eye to this.

Lawyer Ghenadie Tatarciuc argued that teachers pay health insurance contributions and therefore any other costs imposed on them amounts to “government abuse”, and in particular a violation of the Law on Safety at Work, which says that measures related to safety, hygiene and health at work shall not involve any financial obligations on the part of employees.

Alexandr Kovalski, representative of the Clean Planet NGO, says the government must reconsider or else face a “boycott” from the teachers who do not want to be vaccinated. They will challenge the decision in court and hold protests, added Kovalski.

Alina Andrieș, a preschool teacher, said that many of her colleagues got the vaccine not out of their own conviction, but out of fear of losing their jobs. Dora Jitariuc, a teacher, said that she is reluctant to get vaccinated because the long-term consequences are unknown.

Recently the Labor Union Federation in Education and Science also criticized the CNESP decision, saying “any attempt by authorities of any level to tie the vaccination process to restrictions of the constitutional rights to work, to health and to life represent to abuse and blatant violation of civil rights and liberties”.

In defense, Health Minister Ala Nemerenco declared that the well-being of the majority should prevail. “We are not taking steps towards introducing vaccine mandates. But the Constitution says that the right to health of the majority prevails over individual rights. No one can expose the lives and health of others to danger, especially when we are talking about children. They have a right to learn in a safe environment”.

Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița, too, defended the decision, citing international practice and children’s best interests.