Moldova and Georgia will exchange experience and will stage common training seminars for employees from the field of probation. On February 20, the head of the National Probation Office of Moldova Vladimir Popa signed a memorandum of cooperation with the director of the National Probation Agency of the Georgian Ministry of Corrections Giorgi Arsoshvili, IPN reports.

Vladimir Popa told the journalists that the memorandum envisions close cooperation in the area of probation between the two states. The people working in this sector will take part in training seminars held in both of the states, will pay fact-finding visits and will exchange the best practices in the field. The states will also cooperate in implementing the system for electronically monitoring convicts released from jail before time.

Giorgi Arsoshvili said international cooperation for the National Probation Agency of Georgia is very important. The Georgian side is anytime ready to organize training seminars for the colleagues from Moldova. They will exchange experience as regards the risk of recidivism among convicts. For Georgia, it is very important that the punishment by imprisonment should be applied effectively. After the risk level is analyzed, individual programs are implemented for persons put on probation.

Asked if in Georgia the imprisoned persons are afterward easily accepted in society, Giorgi Arsoshvili said such a problem exists in his country too. Therefore, cooperation is needed so as to implement the best practices in the field.

According to official data, about 11,000 people were on probation in Moldova last year.