People will not feel justice reform effects over first 12 months, CReDO director

The Moldovans will not immediately feel the benefits of the adoption of the justice sector reform strategy and the plan of action for implementing the strategy, at least during the first 12 months, the director of the Resource Center for Human Rights (CReDO) Sergiu Ostaf stated for Info-Prim Neo. ”The plan is for medium and long term, for two-three years, and thus there will be no immediate benefits,” said Sergiu Ostaf. According to him, it is important to convey positive images to the political class to encourage the implementation of reforms, which may have a positive effect on the image of justice in society. “The people’s perception of the quality of the services of the legal system will not be easily changed and I don’t think this will contribute to reduced corruption. The public discussions will help the legal system to work more efficiently so as to produce results and change the people’s attitude to justice,” said Sergiu Ostaf. The CReDO director also said that the first step after the adoption of the justice sector reform strategy is to determine the costs and include them in the average-term expenditure framework, which is a document of the Ministry of Finance. The third step envisions the creation of a number of working groups involving experts from different areas, which will produce documents, studies, researches and amendment proposals. “I suspect that there will be dozens of working groups that will focus on certain areas that are many in number,” said Sergiu Ostaf, adding the first direct results of the strategy will become evident in two or even three years. In a meeting of the Chisinau Press Club, Minister of Justice Oleg Efrim said the plan of action for implementing the justice sector reform strategy was drafted and the costs that will be incurred to carry out the planned activities were determined and will be soon submitted to the Government for approval. An estimated €124 million will be needed to reform the justice system during five years. The EU will offer €52 million. Other donors will also provide financial assistance. Money will be also allocated from the budget.