OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism encouraged by steps to support Holocaust remembrance in Moldova

CHISINAU, 8 June 2018 – The Personal Representative of the Italian OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, Rabbi Andrew Baker, concluded his three-day trip to Moldova today, which is a follow-up to his first visit to the country last year. Over the course of his visit, Rabbi Baker met with representatives from the government, the parliament, and the Jewish community to discuss the progress of the implementation of the Action Plan for 2017-2019 in the field of Holocaust education and remembrance. The Action Plan was adopted by the Moldovan government on 22 May 2017.

In his meetings, Rabbi Baker praised the steps that Moldova has taken over the past year to implement the Action Plan. “I commend the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Research for taking the initiative to change the school history curriculum to reflect accurately the Holocaust in the local context,” said Rabbi Baker.

“Now as the important work begins to implement those changes and revise text books, I am happy to note, that the OSCE Mission to Moldova will offer to the Ministry expert assistance to that end. Better understanding of history, including the Holocaust, will promote the culture of tolerance and inclusivity among the young generation in Moldova,” he said. He also welcomed the decision of the Ministry to follow through with its pledge to establish a Jewish history museum in Chisinau in close co-operation with the Jewish community.

Rabbi Baker was encouraged by the decision of the parliament to organize a public hearing on the progress of the implementation of the Action Plan in July 2018. In a meeting with the Head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Rights and Inter-Ethnic Relations, Vladimir Turcan, he called upon Moldovan authorities to ensure allocation of adequate funding for its proper implementation. He also underlined the importance of penalizing hate crimes and denial of the Holocaust and urged the adoption of legislation that will clearly address this problem. 

On the issue of the communal property, the Jewish community informed Rabbi Baker about the amicable settlement agreement on the Rabbi Tsirilson Synagogue case reached in September 2017. The Rabbi expressed hope that the agreement will be fully implemented with the issuance of the construction permits as a first step, which will allow the Jewish community to proceed with the restoration of this historic building. Rabbi Baker also urged the government to move to a broader discussion about restitution of the Jewish communal properties. 

“During my visit, I urged my interlocutors in the parliament, the government, and civil society to build on their achievements and further promote education and remembrance of the Holocaust as well as the importance of inter-ethnic tolerance in Moldova,” Rabbi Baker said.

Rabbi Baker’s trip underscores the priority given by the Italian Chairmanship to the fight against anti-Semitism. His visit also follows ongoing efforts by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to assist authorities in increasing awareness and understanding of the Holocaust in Moldova and promoting a more cohesive society. To this end, the OSCE Mission to Moldova fostered ties between Moldova’s experts with their Romanian peers to develop measures to strengthen Holocaust remembrance and education in Moldova. The Mission also facilitated interaction between Moldova’s officials and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which Moldova joined in 2014 as an observer country.