The EU continues to support the justice sector reform in Moldova by a series of projects launched on November 17. These are designed to increase the independence and efficiently of the judicial, investigation and prosecution institutions and to offer assistance in coordinating the efforts made to reform different institutions, IPN reports.
“Though a series of changes occurred at system level, the people expect to feel these changes. The creation of this tie between the system-ring and the person-ring is absolutely necessary if we want to see how confidence in the authorities replaces distrust, if we want to reach that decisive point in our European course, where the people will feel protected and respected by the state institutions,” Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said in the event. He stated that he agreed with the EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn to create a group of experts who would set the possible tasks for a EUJUST mission within which European specialists will assist functionaries from the justice sector of Moldova during 2-3 years.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola congratulated the Ministry of Justice on the submission of the draft law on the reformation of the prosecution service to the Venice Commission, in spite of the electoral context, but expressed his surprise at the Supreme Court of Justice’s challenge concerning the law by which the immunity of judges investigated for corruption is limited. “Let me express my deep disappointment and sadness over the Supreme Court of Justice’s request to the Constitutional Court to repeal this law. This fact arouses doubts as to the political will for reform,” said the diplomat. He noted that the justice sector reform, especially the combating of corruption in this field, is absolutely necessary for Moldova to be able to use the potential of the Association Agreement with the EU. “When the investors come, the first thing that they lock at is the existence of functional access to justice, if the judicial system fulfills its duty,” he stated.
The three projects launched today are: “Support to the enforcement, probation and rehabilitation systems of Moldova” to the value of €1.8 million, “Project of support in pre-judicial investigation, prosecution and organization of defense in Moldova” with a budget of €2 million, and “Increase in the efficiency, responsibility and transparency of courts of law in Moldova” with a budget of €2.1 million. All the three projects have an implementation period of up to 2017. They join another project launched in 2013, entitled “Support to coordination of the justice sector reform in Moldova” with financing of €2.2 million.
Besides the projects announced today, the EU also offers direct budget support for implementing the actions and reforms stipulated in the Justice Sector Reform Strategy for 2011-2016, which amounts to €60 million. Besides, technical assistance and twinning support are provided for different Moldovan institutions and agencies in the justice sector, within the European Neighborhood Policy, with total financing of €10 million.
