Non-implementation of UN recommendations on human rights can affect talks with EU

A number of nongovernmental organizations say Moldova did not take definite steps to put into practice the UN recommendations on human rights and this can affect the talks on the Association Agreement with the EU. During the last two years, the Committee against Torture, the Human Rights Committee and the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination approved 12 urgent recommendations for Moldova. “The Moldovan authorities are obliged to implement these recommendations during the next six months and inform about the real effects of the steps taken,” the head of the Resource Center for Human Rights Sergiu Ostaf said in a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo on February 24. “This autumn, the UN will examine how its recommendations had been applied. Their non-implementation can affect the talks on the Association Agreement with the EU,” Ostaf said. Ion Guzun, project coordinator at the Moldova Institute for Human Rights (IDOM), said the investigation of the April 2009 events, punishment of the police officers who mistreated the protesters and payment of compensations to the victims are among the key objectives. “The Government provided no assistance to the victims of the April 7 events. There are more than 100 confirmed cases of mistreatment, but no person benefited from the promised spa treatment,” Ion Guzun said. The head of the National Roma Center Nicolae Radita said the state did not take effective measures to support the Romanies, as the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination pointed out in three recommendations. “The relevant ministries must work out yearly plans to support the Roma and inform the people about them, as the UN recommended. The Government should also pay for the education of the Romany people,” he said. The NGOs called on the Government to immediately implement the UN recommendations and to inform about the actions taken.