Women employed to work as sellers became slaves, statement

More than 300 women started to be exploited after they were employed as sellers at cigarette kiosks in Chisinau, the head of the National Anticorruption Council “Moldova Mea” Fiodor Ghelici said in a news conference on Tuesday, Info-Prim Neo reports. Fiodor Ghelici stated that after he received numerous complaints from women, he had visited a number of kiosks in Chisinau during four days to see the working conditions there. “The women are treated like slaves. They work for 7 to 15 days without being able to go home. They are forced to sleep in the kiosks. When they go to the toilet or the shop they must announce the manager of the company, regardless of the time of the day,” he said. He also said that most of the employed women are retired and have disability degrees or are solitary. In kiosks they have a wooden bed only and work round the clock. The copies of all the complaints filed by the women will be sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office and other responsible bodies so that they take measures. Fiodor Ghelici said he would have never believed that female slavery may exist in Chisinau, which is a town that moves so quickly towards the EU. The firm to which the kiosks belong does not pay the salaries on time, while the merchandise is sold without documents of origin. Former seller Valentina Pecheli said she had stayed in the kiosk for 15 days and could not go home at least once because she was threatened with dismissal. “More than 50 women were fired without being paid salaries,” she stated, adding that they were also threatened they will be beaten if they inform about the illegalities in kiosks.