PM UPDATED ON TIP QUESTIONS, REFERS NEC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHISINAU 000093

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE, G/TIP, OBO

E.O. 12958: Declassify 02/11/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR ABLD MD
SUBJECT: PM UPDATED ON TIP QUESTIONS, REFERS NEC
TO DEPUTY, PROMISES NDI CONSULTATION, CALLS RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS "PROVOCATION"

REFS: A. State 5577 B. Chisinau 0020 C. 08
Chisinau 1235

D. 08 Chisinau 1156

Classified by Ambassador Asif J. Chaudhry under
1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a February 5 meeting with the
Ambassador, Prime Minister Greceanii responded
positively to USG requests for information on
Government of Moldova (GOM) actions against
trafficking in persons; reacted sharply to
allegations of GOM human rights violations as
"provocations"; promised to consult with the
Minister of Justice regarding National Democratic
Institute (NDI) registration and the NDI country
director's residence permit; said she would look
into the tax problems of two USG-supported
projects; and referred the issue of the new
embassy compound (NEC) to First Deputy Prime
Minister Dodon. End summary.

PM Positive on TIP Requests
--------------


2. (C) The Prime Minister responded positively to
requests for updated information on alleged
complicity in TIP by GOM officials, vetting of
anti-trafficking officials, and establishment of
procedures for anonymous reporting of suspected
acts of trafficking. The Ambassador, while
praising GOM progress in repatriating and
rehabilitating victims of trafficking, urged the
GOM not to slacken the pace, in light of ref A,
which describes the new legal stipulation that
countries on Tier 2 Watch List for two years in a
row be placed automatically on Tier 3.

PM Refutes Intimidation as Provocation
--------------


3. (C) The Ambassador raised two incidents of
intimidation: questioning by "security officials"
of a Peace Corps volunteer's (PCV) host family
regarding the PCV's political activities and
possession of recording equipment; and the GOM's
inaction following the beating of (and use of mace
against) peaceful demonstrators outside the
Prosecutor General's Office. (Note: The YouTube
video of the event showed clearly that one
attacker, who was caught by demonstrators, stating
that he had been paid 1,000 lei--approximately USD
95--to beat the protestors; however, he did not
identify those who paid. Although demonstrators
called for police assistance against the
attackers, none came. End note.) The Prime
Minister noted that she would ensure that the PCV
was protected from harassment, and opined that the
report might be a provocation and that she could
not imagine that an intelligence official would be
asking such questions.


4. (C) The Prime Minister responded more sharply
to the issue of the protesters and those who
attacked them, labeling the attackers as
provocateurs trying to damage Moldova's image, and
connecting them to unnamed political parties who
use "evil methods." To the Ambassador's
recommendation that the GOM could at least have
condemned the attack, she replied that the GOM
first needed to investigate the incident.

NDI and VAT: Consultation and Solution Promised
-------------- ---


5. (C) Regarding the GOM's failure to register NDI
and renew the work and residence permit of NDI
Country Director Alex Grigorievs (refs B and C),
the Prime Minister responded to the Ambassador's
comment that the delays were creating an
unnecessarily negative impression in Washington:
she stated that she would contact the Minister of
Justice, and noted that NDI and Grigorievs should
be told why their applications were refused. She
further noted that NDI "has no bad records," and
that she would ask the Minister of Justice to
contact the Ambassador. (Comment: This is not
the first time that we have heard some sort of
support from high-level Moldovan officials--

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including the Foreign Minister, Presidential
Advisor Stati, and the President himself. Thus
far, however, expressions of support have not been
followed by positive action to register NDI and
provide Grigorievs with legal status in the
country. End comment.)


6. (C) The Prime Minister appeared surprised when
she heard that vendors were still charging value-
added tax (VAT) on purchases made by construction
companies working on two projects under the
auspices of the Office of Defense Cooperation.
(Note: Both projects--the building of a fire
station and reconstruction of a radioactive waste
reconditioning facility--are included in a GOM
list of activities exempted from VAT. End note.)
Greceanii promised that she would clarify the
matter immediately.

PM Refers NEC Issue to First Deputy Prime Minister
-------------- --------------


7. (C) When the Ambassador asked why the GOM had
put up for tender a site which it had promised for
a NEC (ref D),the Prime Minister at first noted
that there had been no bidders by the January 30
deadline. She then referred the issue to the
Ambassador's meeting planned for the next day with
First Deputy Prime Minister Dodon.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) Greceanii made most of her comments with
her usual air of competence and helpfulness. With
her responses regarding the PCV, NDI, and the
beaten demonstrators, she displayed a
defensiveness that may have been the product of
pre-election jitters. Her reaction may also have
been sharpened by a sense that the Party of
Communists was continuing its steady slide from
its 2001 high point of support among voters, to
the possibility that its probable plurality of
votes would be insufficient to find the partners
for a coalition government. We hope that she
genuinely understands how damaging pre-election
heavy handedness has been to Moldova's image.

CHAUDHRY