The EU and the US will Continue to Support Reforms in the Justice System
Foreign partners will continue to assist Moldovan Government in reforming the justice system. The statement was made by the US Ambassador to Moldova Dereck J. Hogan and Chief of the EU Delegation to Chisinau Peter Michalko.
“Over the years, the US Government has provided substantial and important support to reform the justice and law enforcement sectors. The US is ready to expand the support. We are already at the final stage of finishing the preparations for a new substantial project for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. USAID will work with you in the upcoming months to develop the elements of a new judicial reform project based on the “Transparent Justice” program. We will work closely with the Ministry of Justice to support its efforts in finishing a new strategy for the development of justice, reforming the penitentiary system and improving access to legal assistance, “ said Dereck J. Hogan
The EU ambassador to Chisinau says that the foreign partners were disappointed when they saw that the reforms were not implemented, but they would continue to trust the new Government and increase support for it.
“The EU is ready to support the efforts to reform the Government in the field of justice and the fight against corruption. In recent years, the EU has supported all key institutions in the field of justice. We will continue to support efforts for reform in the justice sector. We are ready to offer even greater support. (…) We, as international partners, were disappointed when we saw that the reforms were not being implemented and after all our support and efforts we could not even afford budget support for the reforms that have not taken place. We will continue to try to change this situation. We will trust those in the Executive who want changes. We see this chance now, ” said Michalko.
The head of the Executive assured that the new government will commit itself to reform and restructure the justice system, as an independent justice is important for the other sectors.
“In the last period in our country righteousness was lacking. Without an independent and responsible justice, efforts in other areas risk to be short-lived. (…) In the last 10 years, many laws have been adopted in the Republic of Moldova, amendments have been made, several actions have been taken which should have increased the independence and proper functioning of justice. A justice reform strategy was adopted in 2011, to be implemented by 2017. In 2016 a new law of the Prosecutor’s Office was adopted. In the same year, two laws on integrity were adopted. In 2014 and 2018, the mechanism for judges’ selection and evaluation was improved. As early as 2013, each judge received access to a legal assistant. The salaries of judges and prosecutors were increased.” said PM Sandu
She urged judges and prosecutors who “served a corrupt regime and admitted illegal, abusive, immoral decisions” to leave. She claimed that “if the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) and Office of the Prosecutor General (CSP) will not act promptly and firmly to eliminate people who have committed abuses we will have to take action and promote competence, experience and honesty within these institutions. ”
“Our objective is to irreversibly reform justice and ensure the independence of state institutions. The process of creating a fair justice takes time and involves a lot of effort and participation from everyone, but we will do our utmost to make as soon as possible righteousness a priority in the justice system “said Maia Sandu.
According to Olesea Stamate, the Ministry of Justice will intervene with legislative amendments, but the key role in reforming and restructuring the judicial system and the Prosecutor’s Office should be performed by the two pillar institutions: the CSP and the CSM.
Foto: privesc.eu
Nicoleta Braghiș,
