[Info-Prim Neo article from the Series “Moldova-20! Whereto?” [Each of the 20 years of independence in Moldova has its meaning and role in what happened in the period and, undoubtedly, in what is going to happen in the country and the people’s lives in the future. Info-Prim Neo asked politicians, analysts, experts and personalities from different areas to pronounce on the main events that took place during a certain year and assess their impact on the country.] [The year 2008 as seen by Alexandru Tanase, Constitutional Court judge, former Minister of Justice] • [January 1] – The agreements on visa facilitation for the EU came into force. • [January 21] – The EU Council of Ministers adopted the regulations concerning the introduction of the Autonomous Trade Preferences for Moldova. • [January 21] – The Council of the European Union endorsed the regulations concerning the introduction of the Autonomous Trade Preferences for Moldova. • [June 5] – The Joint Statement on Mobility Partnership between the European Union and Moldova was signed in Luxemburg. • [June 6] – The EU entered into a Mobility Partnership with Moldova in order to contribute to the removal of the economic and social causes that encouraged illegal migration of Moldovans and in order to create the necessary conditions for the skilled labor force to travel legally from Moldova to the EU. • [June 25 - 27] – A meeting of the European Union – Moldova Cooperation Subcommittee themed “Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Training and Education” took place in Brussels. • [July 8] – There was held the first round of expert-level Moldova-EU consultations on the content of the future political-legal framework between Moldova and the EU. • [July 11] – The Statement of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Poland and Moldova on the creation of the Polish-Moldovan European Integration Forum was signed in Chisinau. • [September 23] – The first meeting to launch the Cooperation Platform of the Moldova –EU Mobility Partnership took place in Chisinau. • [October 2] – There was held the second round of expert-level Moldova-EU consultations on the content of the future political-legal framework between Moldova and the EU. • [October 10] – There was signed the Decision of the Council of Heads of the State of the Commonwealth of Independent States on the regulations concerning the national coordinators of the CIS member states. [According to the judge of the Constitutional Court Alexandru Tanase], 2008 was marked by preelectoral fever. “Though the parliamentary elections that took place in the spring of 2009, 2008 was a preeectoral year. Two new players appeared on the Moldovan political arena in 2008 – the Liberal Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, which became the main governing political forces after July 29, 2009. The two political organizations indubitably influenced the public life and irreversibly changed the public policy procedures in Moldova,” said Alexandru Tanase. As to the foreign events, Alexandru Tanase said nothing spectacular happened. Moldova was involved more in technical consultations and events that had a major impact on the country’s development. “It couldn’t be otherwise as no strategic decision could be taken in the period when it wasn’t clear what political power would govern in Moldova in less than a year,” he stated. In another development, Alexandru Tanase said the list of positive events that took place in Moldova is too modest, while about the negative events he does not want to speak before August 27. “I would only say that Moldova was unlucky to be ruled by fully unsuitable persons at important stages in its development. Unfortunately, this state of affairs hasn’t changed much nowadays,” he stressed. {Alexandru Tanase was named judge at the Constitutional Court in April 2011. Between September 2009 and May 2011 he served as Minister of Justice. In December 2007 – April 2011, he was the first vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova. He held the seat of MP during April 2009 - February 2011. Alexandru Tanase is the author of publications about justice.}