Moldova not freed from CoE monitoring procedure yet

Moldovan authorities must complete the ongoing reforms in order to fully achieve the fulfilment of the commitments to the Council of Europe. This condition is required to close the monitoring procedure and launch a post-monitoring dialogue in the foreseeable future, the Resolution adopted Tuesday, October 2, by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) reads. PACE considers that now is the right moment to complete the decisive reforms which are being carried out in order to implement the essential democratic practices. PACE welcomes the action taken to improve the functioning of democratic institutions; to increase the independence and efficiency of the judiciary; to ensure freedom and pluralism of mass media; to strengthen local democracy; to improve economic performance and to fight against corruption and trafficking in human beings and organs. PACE recommends that the Committee of Ministers continues and reinforces existing assistance programmes to support Moldova in the implementation of commitments to the CoE, by allocating appropriate funds. Furthermore, the Assembly reiterates its request to the Committee of Ministers to become fully involved in the political assessment of the proposals for settling the Transnistrian conflict and to urge the Russian authorities to withdraw Russian military forces and equipment from the territory of Moldova in line with existing commitments. Following the adoption of the Recommendation and Resolution on Moldova, Speaker Marian Lupu stated at the rostrum of the Assembly that the parliamentarians of the CoE member-countries, through the positive message of the report, have conveyed to the Moldovan political circles and population an important signal of encouragement to move forward on the path of European integration, of advancing reforms and strengthening democratic institutions. Moldova has been subject to the monitoring procedure since 1995, the year when it joined the Council of Europe.