Moldova: Russia Ordered to Pay for Transnistria Abuses
Moscow has been ordered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to pay approximately six million euros in compensation to victims of abuses committed in the breakaway Transnistrian region.
Though Russia withdrew from the Council of Europe following its invasion of Ukraine, Ion Manole of Promo-Lex told Moldova 1 that Russia will still be required to pay the compensation, plus penalties calculated by the ECHR.
Ion Manole, Executive Director of Promo-Lex: "The Russian Federation maintains de facto control. Through this, they have the power to influence the human rights situation in Transnistria."
Radu Osipov, Moldova 1 journalist: Is the Transnistrian region considered occupied territory?
Ion Manole: "Yes, as determined by the Council of Europe. This is not an opinion, but a fact confirmed by international institutions."
These cases involve abuses against teachers and students at Romanian-language schools in Transnistria, as well as farmers in the Dubasari district. For these cases alone, Russia owes roughly four million euros.
The ECHR maintains that Russia holds de facto control over Transnistria. Russian troops remain illegally deployed in the region, with the Russian Troops Operational Group (GOTR) stemming from the 14th Soviet Army, which did not withdraw after Moldova's declaration of independence. Moldova has called on the UN General Assembly for the unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops and a peacekeeping mission reform. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly formally recognized Russia's occupation of Moldova's Transnistrian region.
Russia Violates Past Commitments. In 1999, at the OSCE summit in Istanbul, Russia pledged a complete withdrawal from Moldova and Georgia by 2002. Since then, Russia has invaded Georgia (2008) and Ukraine (2014, and on a larger scale in 2022).
Translation by Iurie Tataru
