Remand center situated on Tighina St in Chisinau renovated

The remand center of the General Police Commissariat located on Tighina St has been repaired. The works were executed at the suggestion of international organizations within the Joint Democracy Support Program of the Council of Europe and the European Union. They cost €235,000, Info-Prim Neo reports. There were repaired and outfitted with furniture all the cells of the remand center. The number of cells was decreased from 27 to 22. Every detainee will enjoy an area of four square meters. There were renovated the kitchen and resting room of the guards. Modern audio and video monitoring equipment was installed all over the center. The guard unit of the General Police Commissariat was also repaired and outfitted with modern video equipment. Attending the inauguration of the renovated building, Prime Minister Vlad Filat said this is a first step. During the next four months, all the remand units of the country will be provided with video equipment so as to prevent cases of inhuman treatment. The Government held negotiations with a European banking institution to get a loan to construct a prison that would meet all the standards. “We are waiting for a positive answer in the near future,” said the Premier, thanking the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations Development Program for the assistance offered in implementing the renovation project. Minister of the Interior Alexei Roibu said that the conditions at the remand center are now close to the European standards. “There are separate cells for minors and for persons suffering from tuberculosis. The basic amenities in all the cells are modern,” said the minister, adding great emphasis in the work of the law enforcement bodies is laid on information technology. The Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Dirk Schuebel and the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Moldova Ulvi Akhundlu said they were shocked when they visited the remand center in 2010. “We are satisfied with the result and will continue to support Moldova in reaching the European standards. Moldova will receive €52 million from the EU as budget support. This money will be used to strengthen democracy,” said Dirk Schuebel. Ulvi Akhundlu said that after renovation the cells meet the European requirements. “We know that Moldova lost many cases at the ECHR owing to the degrading conditions in which the detainees were held. We hope that there will be no more such cases,” he stated. At least 1,500 persons are held at the remand center of the Chisinau General Police Commissariat a year, 54 of whom simultaneously. The repair works lasted for about two months. In Moldova there are 38 remand units. Some of them were renovated partially, while others will be outfitted with modern equipment.