The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on the progress of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure in 2020. The document contains findings referring to the Republic of Moldova, IPN reports.

The PACE resolution notes the slow pace of the reform of the judiciary, and slow progress in the fight against corruption, in particular insufficient progress made in the field of corruption prevention in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors, and, in this context, political migration of members of parliament which triggered political instability, notwithstanding allegations of political corruption.

It says the Republic of Moldova should ensure that all political stakeholders engage in an inclusive dialogue and make the necessary political compromises to ensure the functioning of democratic institutions in line with Council of Europe standards for the benefit of all citizens; should adopt, without further delay, the expected legal and constitutional amendments, in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission.

It should also improve the independence, accountability and efficiency of the judiciary; to upgrade the election legislation in line with the August 2020 Venice Commission opinion, in particular to better regulate funding of election campaigns and should take meaningful action to fight corruption and conduct a thorough investigation into the 2014 bank scandal.

The document noted the continuous co-operation of the Moldovan authorities with the Council of Europe and the smooth organization of the presidential election despite a polarized environment and the challenging sanitary context. The Assembly takes notes of the election, on 15 November 2020, of Maia Sandu, the first woman to become President of the Republic of Moldova – with a clear majority of votes.