[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 18 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1681-S1682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 60--SUPPORTING DEMOCRATIC REFORM IN MOLDOVA AND 
   URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF MOLDOVA TO ENSURE A DEMOCRATIC AND FAIR 
    ELECTION PROCESS FOR THE MARCH 6, 2005, PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

  Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Lugar, and Mr. Biden) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 60

       Whereas, on August 27, 1991, Moldova declared independence 
     from the Soviet Union;
       Whereas parliaments were elected in Moldova in free and 
     fair multiparty elections during 1990, 1994, and 1998;
       Whereas international observers stated that the May 2003 
     local elections for mayors and regional councilors, despite 
     scattered reports of irregularities, were generally 
     consistent with international election standards;

[[Page S1682]]

       Whereas Freedom House, a non-profit, nonpartisan 
     organization working to advance the expansion of political 
     and economic freedom, has designated Moldova's political 
     environment as ``partly free'' and, using a scale of 1 to 7 
     (with 1 being the most free), assigned a rating of 3 for 
     political rights in Moldova and 4 for civil liberties in 
     Moldova;
       Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires a 
     period of political campaigning conducted in an environment 
     in which administrative action, violence, intimidation, or 
     detention do not hinder the parties, political associations, 
     and candidates from presenting their views and qualifications 
     to potential voters;
       Whereas, in a genuinely democratic election, parties and 
     candidates are free to organize supporters and conduct public 
     meetings and events;
       Whereas ensuring that parties and candidates enjoy 
     unimpeded access to television, radio, print, and Internet 
     media on a nondiscriminatory basis is fundamental to a free, 
     fair, and democratic election;
       Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires that 
     citizens be guaranteed the right and effective opportunity to 
     exercise their civil and political rights, including the 
     right to vote and to seek and acquire information upon which 
     to make an informed vote in a manner that is free from 
     intimidation, undue influence, attempts at vote buying, 
     threats of political retribution, or other forms of coercion 
     by national or local authorities or others;
       Whereas Moldova is scheduled to conduct parliamentary 
     elections on March 6, 2005;
       Whereas reports indicate that national and local officials 
     in Moldova are increasing their control and manipulation of 
     the media as the election date approaches;
       Whereas there have been widespread reports of harassment of 
     opposition candidates and workers by the police in Moldova;
       Whereas other reports indicate that intimidation of 
     independent civil society monitoring groups by authorities in 
     Moldova is occurring on an increasingly frequent basis;
       Whereas such actions are inconsistent with Moldova's 
     history of the holding of free and fair elections and raise 
     grave concerns regarding the commitment of the authorities in 
     Moldova to conducting free and fair elections;
       Whereas the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 6, 
     2005 will provide a test of the extent to which the 
     Government of Moldova is committed to democracy, free 
     elections, and the rule of law; and
       Whereas the holding of truly free and fair elections in 
     Moldova, including a free and democratic campaign preceding 
     an election, are vital to improving the relationship between 
     Moldova and the United States and to the United States 
     providing support for resolution of the Transnistria conflict 
     and for the provision of assistance to Moldova through the 
     Millennium Challenge Account: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) acknowledges and welcomes the strong relationship 
     formed between the United States and Moldova since Moldova 
     declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 27, 
     1991;
       (2) recognizes that a precondition for the full integration 
     of Moldova into the Western community of nations is the 
     establishment of a genuinely democratic political system in 
     Moldova;
       (3) supports the sovereignty, independence, and territorial 
     integrity of Moldova;
       (4) encourages all political parties in Moldova to offer 
     genuine solutions to the serious problems that face Moldova, 
     including human trafficking, corruption, unemployment, and 
     territorial issues;
       (5) expresses its strong and continuing support for the 
     efforts of the people of Moldova to establish full democracy, 
     including the rule of law and respect for human rights;
       (6) urges the Government of Moldova to meet its commitments 
     to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 
     (OSCE) for the holding of democratic elections;
       (7) urges the Government of Moldova to ensure--
       (A) the full transparency of election procedures before, 
     during, and after the parliamentary elections scheduled to be 
     held on March 6, 2005;
       (B) the right to vote for all citizens of Moldova;
       (C) unimpeded access by all parties and candidates to 
     print, radio, television, and Internet media on a 
     nondiscriminatory basis; and
       (D) the right of opposition candidates and workers to 
     engage in campaigning free of harassment, discrimination, and 
     intimidation; and
       (8) pledges its enduring support and assistance to the 
     people of Moldova for the establishment of a fully free and 
     open democratic system that is free from coercion, the 
     creation of a prosperous free market economy, the 
     establishment of a secure independence, and Moldova's 
     assumption of its rightful place as a full and equal member 
     of the Western community of democracies.

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