III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 17, 2005 

Mr. MCCAIN (for himself, Mr. LUGAR, and Mr. BIDEN) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION

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.

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; 

Whereas Freedom House, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization working to advance the expansion of political and 
2

•SRES 60 ATS

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; 
3

•SRES 60 ATS

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

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) acknowledges and welcomes the strong rela3 tionship formed between the United States and 

4 Moldova since Moldova declared independence from 

5 the Soviet Union on August 27, 1991; 

6 (2) recognizes that a precondition for the full 

7 integration of Moldova into the Western community 
4

•SRES 60 ATS

1 of nations is the establishment of a genuinely demo2 cratic political system in Moldova; 

3 (3) supports the sovereignty, independence, and 

4 territorial integrity of Moldova; 

5 (4) encourages all political parties in Moldova 

6 to offer genuine solutions to the serious problems 

7 that face Moldova, including human trafficking, cor8 ruption, unemployment, and territorial issues; 

9 (5) expresses its strong and continuing support 

10 for the efforts of the people of Moldova to establish 

11 full democracy, including the rule of law and respect 

12 for human rights; 

13 (6) urges the Government of Moldova to meet 

14 its commitments to the Organization for Security 

15 and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for the holding 

16 of democratic elections; 

17 (7) urges the Government of Moldova to en18 sure— 

19 (A) the full transparency of election proce20 dures before, during, and after the parliamen21 tary elections scheduled to be held on March 6, 

22 2005; 

23 (B) the right to vote for all citizens of 

24 Moldova; 
5

•SRES 60 ATS

1 (C) unimpeded access by all parties and 

2 candidates to print, radio, television, and Inter3 net media on a nondiscriminatory basis; and 

4 (D) the right of opposition candidates and 

5 workers to engage in campaigning free of har6 assment, discrimination, and intimidation; and 

7 (8) pledges its enduring support and assistance 

8 to the people of Moldova for the establishment of a 

9 fully free and open democratic system that is free 

10 from coercion, the creation of a prosperous free mar11 ket economy, the establishment of a secure inde12 pendence, and Moldova’s assumption of its rightful 

13 place as a full and equal member of the Western 

14 community of democracies.

Æ