Moldova justice system faces criticism over opposition party rulings
The Court of Appeal has restricted the activities of the opposition parties Moldova Mare, FASM and Renaștere, while ordering the dissolution of the Chance Party. Moldova Mare was restricted for 12 months, with six-month restrictions imposed on FASM and Renaștere.
Opposition representatives condemned the decisions as politically motivated and said they would challenge them before international courts. They accused judges of acting on behalf of the governing PAS party and argued that the rulings represented a broader threat to political competition and the independence of the Moldova justice system.
The atmosphere inside and outside the courtroom was described as one of inevitability. As the ruling was announced, opposition representatives called it a national disgrace and said the outcome had effectively been determined in advance.
Alexei Lungu condemns ruling as ‘national disgrace’
During the hearing, Chance Party chairman Alexei Lungu addressed the judges in angry terms. He said the ruling was directed not merely against individual politicians or parties, but against the citizens who supported them.
“Shoot us. This is a disgrace, a national disgrace, and this disgrace will yet be proven. Shoot us and be done with it. Shoot us all, put all the people against the wall. Execute us. This is a disgrace, a genuine disgrace for our entire nation,” Lungu declared in the courtroom.
Speaking later to journalists, he said the case concerned hundreds of thousands of citizens who saw their future in Moldova. He recalled that opposition supporters had repeatedly held protests outside the Court of Appeal, calling for compliance with the law and the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova.
“We fought for every one of our colleagues and for our common cause, which is a cause of national importance. This is not my personal case, nor is it the case of Ilan Shor, Marina Tauber, Evghenia Guțul or our other colleagues,” he said. “This is our common national cause, because hundreds of thousands of citizens stand behind us. They want to live in this country, see their future here and want to see a genuinely prosperous Moldova.”
Lungu also warned that the judges responsible for the rulings would be remembered after a future change of government. He described the court as a “branch of PAS in the Botanica district” and accused its judges of committing injustice against the entire population.
Defence alleges political control of the courts
Lawyer Vadim Banaru, who represents the affected parties, confirmed that all the decisions would be appealed. He said, however, that the defence no longer expected justice from Moldova’s national courts.
“It is very difficult to comment on this from a legal perspective when we are effectively dealing with a situation in which the Ministry of Justice completely controls the process. This is a political dictatorship that has penetrated every area of public life,” Banaru claimed. “Of course, we will appeal all these decisions. As I have already said, we were not optimistic. We must now examine the court’s arguments because, in our view, there were essentially none. There is no evidence either.”
According to the lawyer, the purpose of the legal action was to prevent the parties from participating in elections. He said this had been apparent from the moment the claim was submitted.
The defence also argued that the rulings sent a warning to the entire political opposition. Banaru claimed that any party could now be declared the successor to another organisation and removed from political life on the basis of statements rather than sufficient evidence.
“This is a signal to the whole Moldovan political opposition: at any moment, any political party can be declared the successor to another organisation solely on the basis of certain statements and without sufficient evidence, and then removed from the political arena,” he said.
Opposition plans international legal challenge
Banaru also questioned how the judges involved had previously advanced within the judicial system. He accused them of serving as instruments of political power rather than administering justice in accordance with their authority and judicial oath.
“The judges who issued these decisions, and the way in which they were previously promoted within this court, raise serious questions. Unfortunately, this is a very painful and unpleasant situation,” the lawyer said. “But they are essentially only executors, instruments carrying out political instructions instead of administering justice in accordance with their powers and the oath they took when assuming judicial office.”
Summing up the opposition’s assessment of the Moldova justice system, Banaru said: “Justice in Moldova is dead.”
The defence intends to appeal to higher courts and subsequently bring the case before the European Court of Human Rights. Alexei Lungu said the opposition would continue its campaign through legal procedures, despite his claim that the authorities were gradually moving towards tyranny.
The parties maintain that their struggle will remain within the law. They argue that the decisions against Moldova Mare, FASM, Renaștere and the Chance Party concern not only their own political future but the ability of opposition movements in Moldova to operate without government interference.
