There’s no democracy without justice. By joining the Council of Europe, Moldova committed itself to the standards that guarantee well-functioning democratic institutions, said Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, at the opening ceremony of the National Institute of Justice in Chisinau. The European official reminded the Moldovan authorities of this fundamental commitment, conveying them PACE’s hope that the National Institute of Justice would improve and consolidate the professionalism and efficiency of the Moldovan judges. According to Terry Davis, the National Institute of Justice is a step forward to build an independent, efficient, and impartial judicial system. The members of the Institute may count on CoE’s full support in preparing the courses on judicial ethics, prosecuting corruption, and judicial decision-making. Moldova’s President Vladimir Voronin stated that the reforms carried out in the recent years have proven the strong will as well as the authorities’ capacity to improve human rights defence mechanisms. The Institute shall assume responsibility for fostering a new generation of judges and prosecutors that will build the foundation of an efficient judiciary, the head of state concluded. The National Institute of Justice has been set up as part of the judicial reform process carried out in Moldova in co-operation with the Council of Europe, with the support of the European Commission. It will provide initial and in-service training for judges, prosecutors and other members of the legal service, helping to increase professionalism and efficiency in the judicial system. Today, more than 1,700 applications from Moldovan nationals are waiting for their turn at the European Court of Human Rights, which, according to some experts, is the highest number of applications per capita of population.