European Commission provides over €60m for justice reform

The Government of Moldova and the European Commission have signed an agreement on the financing of the Support to the Justice Sector Reform Program. Moldova will receive €10 million and will benefit from assistance in preparing the sector for assimilating the subsequent budget support of €52.2 million, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Government. Four projects will be financed for three years within the program. €2.8 million will be used to coordinate the justice reform and implement the justice sector reform strategy, €3 million to increase the efficiency, responsibility and transparency of Moldova’s courts of law, €2 million to ensure the pre-trial procedures, while €2 million to support the court decision implementation, probation and rehabilitation system of Moldova. Prime Minister Vlad Filat said that the Budget Support to the Health Sector Program aims to finance the reform in the field of health, especially the implementation of the national health policy and measures stipulated in the strategy for developing the health system for 2008-2017. The total value of the program is €46.6 million. The last tranche of €4.4 million was disbursed in April. The Premier also referred to the disbursement of the last tranche of €30 million as macro-financing assistance. The money will go to support the balance of payments and secure the foreign exchange reserves of Moldova in order to overcome the consequences of the financial crisis. This assistance represents additional support to the resources allocated by international financial institutions and bilateral donors for implementing the Economic Recovery and Stabilization Program for 2009-2011. A sum of €90 million was budgeted in 2010-2012 for the purpose.