A/HRC/34/53/Add.2 I. Introduction 1. The Special Rapporteur on minority issues conducted an official visit to the Republic of Moldova from 20 to 29 June 2016, at the invitation of the Government. She visited Chisinau and various regions and localities with minority populations, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, Balti, Chetrosu, Edinet, Hincauti, Orhei, Otaci, Schinoasa, Soroca, Taraclia, and the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. She consulted widely with hundreds of stakeholders, including ministers and senior government officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Justice, Labour and Social Protection, and Culture, the Deputy Bashkan of Gagauzia and the de facto authorities of the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. She met with representatives of the Bureau of Inter-Ethnic Relations, the Equality Council, the People’s Advocate Office, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the National Bureau of Statistics and the Constitutional Court. She consulted with representatives of civil society and minority communities, religious leaders, political actors, members of the diplomatic community, representatives of United Nations bodies and other national and international actors. 2. The Special Rapporteur met with representatives of various ethnic communities, including those who identify as Armenians, Azeris, Belarusians, Bulgarians, Gagauzis, Germans, Georgians, Turkish, Poles, Roma, Romanians, Russians and Ukrainians. She consulted with members and representatives from religious communities, including Adventists, Baptists, Catholics, Jews, members of the Bessarabian Metropolitan Church, Falun Dafa and the Unification Church. She also consulted with comparatively new communities, such as Afro-descendants and Muslims. She also met with many who identify clearly as Moldovan majority and with Moldovan Orthodox Church leaders to seek their views. She thanks the Government for their openness and frank discussions and all of those who consulted with her and provided valuable information. 3. Lack or limited financial resources to implement measures relating to minority rights featured almost universally when consulting with interlocutors from the central Government, local authorities and minority representatives. Despite important steps in poverty reduction, with a significant drop in the national poverty rate from 68 per cent in 2000 to 11.4 per cent in 2014, 1 the Republic of Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe, ranking 107 out of 188 countries in the Human Development Index. 2 High rates of labour-related emigration,3 mainly to neighbouring countries, have resulted in the loss of young and skilled workers, and numerous testimonies received during the visit indicated that minority young people may be particularly affected by migration. 4. Worsening economic conditions and corruption scandals have led to grievances and a general distrust in politicians and political structures. It is essential to consider the economic dimension of the current situation and for the Government to implement measures to guarantee equality and social, economic and cultural rights and to combat 1 2 3 See World Bank Group, “Moldova Poverty Assessment 2016, Poverty Reduction and Shared Prosperity in Moldova: Progress and Prospects” (2016), p. x. Available from http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/168451467995808859/pdf/105722-WP-P151472PUBLIC-Moldova-Poverty-Assessment-2016.pdf. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report 2015 (New York, 2015). See World Bank Group, “From Aspirations to Occupations: The Role of Information in Educational and Labor Market Decisions in Moldova” (2016), p. 7. Available from http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/508751468195577069/pdf/106494-WP-P152911PUBLIC-From-Aspirations-to-Occupations.pdf. 3