Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to send pre-election observation mission to Moldova

A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities next week will send a pre-election observation mission to Moldova, the head of the delegation of the Council of Europe Secretariat Louis Laurens, Director General of Democracy and Political Affairs, announced Friday in a meeting with Prime Minister Vlad Filat, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the Government’s press service, the Premier assured that the executive will take all the measures needed for the June 5 local elections to be conducted in a free and democratic way. In another development, he said that one of the objectives of the Government’s program is to close the monitoring stage and switch over to the post-monitoring stage. “We count on the Council of Europe’s support in implementing reforms and shifting to the post-monitoring dialogue,” said Vlad Filat. Among the key objectives of the executive, he enumerated the reform of the legal system, creation of a favorable investment climate, ensuring of the functionality of the state institutions, ensuring of local autonomy and the freedom of the media. Jean-Louis Laurens confirmed the Council of Europe’s readiness to provide technical assistance and support needed in promoting reforms. He welcomed the working out of the decentralization strategy and voiced hope that its implementation will help Moldova make progress in ensuring local autonomy. As to the Transnistrian dispute, the interlocutors stressed the necessity of resuming the official talks in the 5+2 format. In this connection, Vlad Filat said the Government of Moldova approves of the Council of Europe’s contribution to releasing Ernest Vardanyan by publicly condemning the illegal actions against the journalist. He expressed his hope that Ilie Cazac will also be set free. The delegation of the Council of Europe Secretariat is in Moldova on a fact-finding visit to assess the present stage and future priorities in the cooperation between Moldova and the Council of Europe and to examine the possibility of closing the monitoring of Moldova by the Council of Europe.