IPN on May 29 published an OP-ED entitled “European values versus traditional values and geopolitical subtext in Moldova”, which was written by expert in political sciences Dionis Cenusa. According to the author, the perpetual disappointment in the pro-European political parties (2009-2017) and the high poverty level at which many Moldovans live make the European integration and, respectively, the European values, to be associated with something elitist or imaginary, for now inaccessible. With or without the involvement of the Russian-Eurasian factor, the popularization of the European values in Moldova requires time, considerable effort and patience, exactly as in the case of the EU member states, where there is yet opposition to particular facets of the European values. Ultimately, the reanimation of the European course in Moldova, which embodies the European values, necessitates authentic civil society, credible pro-European political alternatives and intelligent external conditionality that would maximally narrow the maneuvering area of the government and would stimulate reforms.
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The second plan of action of the Council of Europe for the Republic of Moldova for 2017-2020 was launched in Chisinau on May 30. The document has three priority chapters that center on human rights, rule of law and democracy. According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur, the Council of Europe and the Moldovan authorities within this plan of action agreed to do reforms to improve governance at all the levels, to fight corruption and money laundering, to increase the independence and efficiency of the legal system. The planned measures are aimed at fighting inhuman treatment in penitentiaries, defending the rights of minorities, building confidence between the people living on the two sides of the Nistru. The budget of the plan of action is of €17.8 million. The European Union allocated €3.7 million to Moldova through the bilateral common program with the Council of Europe.
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The two-year project “Strengthening the NBM’s capacity in the field of banking regulation and supervision in the context of EU requirements” was completed. The drafting of a new banking law that enables the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) to issue secondary normative documents to regulate the prudential requirements applying to commercial banks is one of the most important results of the project. Among the results are also the working out of the internal regulations of the NBM, which allow efficiently fulfilling the duty to survey and modify the organizational structure of the central bank, and increasing of surveyors’ and bank representatives’ knowledge of the Basel III framework. The project was implemented with support from the National Bank of Romania and the Central Bank of the Netherlands and with financial support from the EU.
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The Best Hotels of Moldova catalogue, which includes information about the hotels from the right and left bank of the Nistru River, was launched with EU support in three languages. Also, during one year, through cooperation and with the financial support of the European Union, the organizations carried out training seminars for hotel staff, study visits abroad, and launched an Information Centre in Tiraspol for tourists who want to visit the left bank of the Nistru River, and where tourist attractions from the right bank are promoted too. A similar center is to be opened in Chisinau in September. The publication Best Hotels of Moldova will be distributed during specialized exhibitions, at the embassies of the Republic of Moldova, diplomatic missions in Chisinau, travel agencies, hotels and other locations.
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The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland paid an official visit to Moldova during May 30-31 at the invitation of Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The Premier noted that the expertise provided by the CoE is useful and indispensable in internal reformation, democratization and consolidation of Moldova’s European option. For his part, Thorbjorn Jagland said the organization he represents encourages the Government in its efforts to promote reforms. In a public lecture at the State University of Moldova, Thorbjorn Jagland said that the Republic of Moldova has a problem with corruption, money laundering, the fact that particular rich persons are involved in politics and business and that great pressure is exerted on civil society here.
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The Republic of Moldova, through its Permanent Representative at the OSCE Victor Osipov, subscribed to the EU statement on “Russia’s Ongoing Aggression against Ukraine and Illegal Occupation of Crimea”, which expresses serious concerns about the aggravation of the security situation in this conflict area and reiterates the condemnation of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol town and the fact that the Russian Federation supports the military actions of the separatists in Donbas. It happened in the meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in which Victor Osipov took part as Moldova’s Permanent Representative for the first time.
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The summary of news from the IPN series “European Integration” is produced with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany and can be further disseminated on condition that the source is indicated.
