Irina Vlah, President of the Republican Party “Inima Moldovei,” addressed an open letter to the new Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Moldova, Joseph Burkhalter, congratulating him on his confirmation by the U.S. Senate and expressing confidence that his tenure will be successful, TRIBUNA reports.

The politician noted that the United States has always been a sincere and reliable partner of the Republic of Moldova, making a significant contribution to the country’s development, including strengthening democracy and the rule of law. She also emphasized that the new ambassador’s mandate in the Republic of Moldova comes at a particularly important time for the country.

“It is no secret that in recent years the Republic of Moldova has experienced serious setbacks in terms of democracy, the rule of law, freedom of the press, reforms, and other areas. In the 2025 Democracy Index, the Republic of Moldova was downgraded to the status of a hybrid regime. And it is easy to understand how the country reached this status if we briefly review what has happened in the Republic of Moldova in recent years, particularly in 2025.

Article 1, paragraph (3) of the Constitution is periodically violated. It states that the Republic of Moldova is a state governed by the rule of law and a democratic state in which human dignity, human rights and freedoms, the free development of the human personality, justice, and political pluralism are supreme values and are guaranteed.

Likewise, Article 2, paragraph (2) of the Constitution is constantly violated. It provides that no individual person, no part of the people, no social group, no political party, or other public organization may exercise state power in its own name. The usurpation of state power constitutes the gravest crime against the people.

Article 5 of the Constitution — Democracy and Political Pluralism — also continues to be frequently violated. The pressure placed on parties representing the genuine opposition, as well as abuses against those whose views differ from those of the government, are well known to the public both at home and abroad,” she said.

Irina Vlah also pointed out that Article 6 of the Constitution — the separation and cooperation of powers — is constantly being violated in the Republic of Moldova.

“The government has intervened in the justice system in the most brutal way possible and, under the pretext of so-called reforms, has destroyed it. Justice in the Republic of Moldova is no longer functional and has largely become merely an instrument used in political games.

The constitutional principle of the presumption of innocence exists only on paper — in reality, justice is administered in the studios of television channels affiliated with the government. That is where verdicts are delivered on who is guilty and who is not.

In recent years, Article 38 of the Constitution — the right to vote and the right to be elected — has also been flagrantly violated. Tens of thousands of citizens from the diaspora have effectively been deprived of their right to vote due to the refusal to open a sufficient number of polling stations. Within the country, meanwhile, the right to be elected is severely restricted through pressure exerted on political opponents,” the political leader added.

Irina Vlah said that “these are just a few examples that demonstrate the current state of democracy in the Republic of Moldova.”

“I considered it necessary to draw your attention to these issues, knowing how important democracy and the rule of law are to the United States of America. I am confident that the United States will continue to support the development of democracy in the Republic of Moldova, and I believe that you have a critically important role to play in this regard.

In light of the above, Mr. Ambassador, I wish you the most effective mandate possible, so that relations between the United States and the Republic of Moldova may continue to develop successfully, as the interests of the peoples of our two countries require,” the politician concluded.