Fifth Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Project “Ensuring the Integrity, Efficiency, and Independence of the Justice System in Moldova – #Justice4Moldova”

On Wednesday, 22 October 2025, the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) hosted the fifth meeting of the Steering Committee of the project “Ensuring the Integrity, Efficiency, and Independence of the Justice System in Moldova – #Justice4Moldova.” During the meeting, participants were informed about the main results and progress of activities over the past six months, and key actions for the final phase of the project were agreed upon.

Among the next steps, the following can be highlighted:

• Development of the second Opinion Survey on citizens’ perception of justice and integrity, planned for early 2026 (the first survey is available here).
• Continuation of the work of the Justice Experts Group, which will prepare new relevant legal opinions (more details here).
• Preparation of the second Alternative Monitoring Report on the implementation of the Justice Reform Strategy, scheduled for publication in May-June 2026 (Report No. 1 is available here).
• Continuation of publishing independent investigative reports on judges and prosecutors (the first 24 reports are available here).

It is also important to note that during the meeting, the proposal for non-cost extension of the project to until August 2026 was discussed and endorsed.

Angelo Di Giorgi, Program Officer for Justice, Elections, and Parliament at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, noted that the engagement of Civil Society actors in the project “reflects not only a shared commitment to advancing justice reform in the Republic of Moldova but also a recognition of the essential role that civil society should play in this endeavour”. He also stressed that “the justice reform is an indispensable pillar of Moldova’s European path. As we know, for the European Union the independence, integrity, and efficiency of the justice system are fundamental to the country’s accession process; and the EU is proud to stand with Moldova in this critical phase of institutional reform. A good example of how the EU is supporting the reform agenda of Moldova is represented by the Justice4Moldova project”. Angelo Di Giorgi concluded by recalling “the European Union’s firm commitment to supporting Moldova in this journey. EU support is not limited to institutions and structures. We also value and recognise the civil society as an indispensable partner in fostering accountability, transparency, and dialogue. It is through this inclusive approach that reforms become credible and attached to democratic values”.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to strengthening the role of civil society and the media in enhancing the independence, integrity, efficiency, and accountability of the justice system in the Republic of Moldova. More details about the project are available here.

The main role of the Steering Committee is to monitor the implementation of the project’s activities, and it will meet every six months throughout the project’s duration. The next meeting is scheduled for April 2026. The Committee includes representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Superior Council of Magistracy, the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau, the Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC), the Legal Resources Center from Moldova, and the Center for Independent Journalism.

The project “Ensuring the Integrity, Efficiency, and Independence of the Justice System in Moldova – #Justice4Moldova” is implemented by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms as the main partner, in consortium with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR). The project is funded by the European Union and co-financed by the Soros Foundation Moldova.