A project to strengthen Moldova’s capacities to fight trafficking in persons was launched on March 23 and will be implemented by the General Police Inspectorate in cooperation with the International Center for Migration Policy Development within the EU – Moldova Mobility Partnership, IPN reports.

“The prevention and fighting of trafficking in human beings is a priority for the General Police Inspectorate. This project comes to strengthen the capacities on this segment,” said the Inspectorate’s head Alexandru Panzari. During almost a year, about 50 officers of the Center for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings will be trained within the project.

Alexandru Panzari noted that the project will benefit not only the police, but also the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection and the NGO sector. The major goal is to strengthen the capacities to identify victims, which is the most important step in preventing and fighting trafficking in persons. “I’m convinced that when this project is completed, our officers will be much better trained and will become professionals in the given area,” he stated.

Secretary of state at the Ministry of the Interior Mihai Beregoi said this project is a very good example of cooperation. “This project needs powerful partners in the European Union. These partners are Latvia and Lithuania from which we learned the best human trafficking fighting practices,” he stated, noting he is convinced that this project will be successful.

Lilian Levandovschi, head of the Center for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, said 163 cases of trafficking in persons, including children, were reported in Moldova last year. Most of these cases refer to illegal migration, procuring and forced labor. There were started 122 criminal cases. “The phenomenon reached its apogee in 2015, but now decreases not only due to investigations, but also because society is being informed,” he stated.