Moldova: Politician Renato Usatîi 'racist' remarks
A Moldovan politician's remarks about an MP's ethnicity have been condemned as racist by NGOs and experts.
The comments from Renato Usatîi, the leader of Our Party, have been criticised for promoting dangerous stereotypes, inciting hatred, and perpetuating prejudice against the Romani community. Critics say the message violates democratic norms, anti-discrimination laws, and election campaign rules.
Experts warn that such statements escalate social tensions, while civic organisations are calling on authorities to sanction them. At the same time, Radu Marian has denounced the attack as "absolutely unacceptable" for an entire ethnic group.
The incident in question took place on 7 September when Our Party representatives accused Mr Marian of taking their newspapers from people's homes and replacing them with PAS materials in the village of Dobrușa, Şoldăneşti district. He denied the accusation.
In a video published later, Mr Usatîi returned to the topic, referencing the Soviet film "Budulai" which portrays Romani people as horse thieves. He made a direct reference to Mr Marian's ethnicity, as one of his grandfathers was Romani.
PAS MP Radu Marian stated that Mr Usatîi's attack is not just based on a lie about an electoral incident, but strikes at an entire community. He believes it is absolutely unacceptable for an ethnic group to be targeted in this context.
"He referred to my ethnicity. I have diverse ethnic origins—a Romani grandfather, Romanian grandfathers—and I consider myself Moldovan. It doesn't matter what your ethnicity is. The problem is the hate speech Usatîi started, because his allusions to the entire ethnic group are absolutely unacceptable and he must issue a public apology. It is ridiculous and incredible that he launched this attack on an entire ethnic group based on a lie about me and a worthless newspaper," Mr Marian told Teleradio-Moldova.
Both Renato Usatîi and Radu Marian are running as candidates in the parliamentary elections to be held on 28 September.
Usatîi urged to apologise
"Mr Usatîi's statements promote harmful stereotypes," argues Promo-LEX expert Irina Corobcenco. According to her, this type of discourse affects both the individuals directly targeted and the general perception in society.
"Mr Renato Usatîi's message promotes prejudice against people of Romani ethnicity, which is evident from the statement he published. To suggest that these people, wherever they may be, should be watched to prevent loss of belongings, is not a message that encourages anyone to feel comfortable in society. Nor does it inspire public confidence in those targeted by this discourse. The electoral context only amplifies the negative impact of this type of speech, but it remains a toxic and harmful message regardless of when it is said. It is best to report it if it appears on social media platforms and to file a complaint with the competent authorities, such as the police, so that they can document such messages," the expert told Teleradio-Moldova.
Representatives of the Romani Women's Platform in Moldova also condemned the statements, pointing out that the reproduction of stereotypes and the incitement of fear and hatred against Romani people contravene democratic values and legislation.
"Racist statements against Romani people are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in an election campaign. The claims stigmatising the Romani ethnicity and associating it with degrading prejudices—such as 'keep your horses in the yard and tied up; take care of everything you have around the house'—represent intolerable hate speech that strikes not only the person targeted but the entire Romani community in the Republic of Moldova. We demand an immediate public apology from Renato Usatîi to the Romani community and MP Radu Marian. We call on the Council for Equality and the Police to investigate these statements and apply the sanctions provided by law. Romani people can no longer be scapegoats in electoral games. Democracy means inclusion, respect, and solidarity—values that we will defend with determination," the statement from the Romani Women's Platform read.
According to the 2024 Population and Housing Census, approximately 0.4% of Moldova's total population—just over 9,600 people—declared Romani ethnicity. However, the Agency for Interethnic Relations estimates the number is over 27,000, based on community mapping and local data.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
