Third meeting of the Steering Committee of the Project „Securing integrity, efficiency and independence of the justice system in Moldova – #Justice4Moldova”

On Wednesday, 23 October, 2024, the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), hosted the third meeting of the Steering Committee of the project “Ensuring the integrity, efficiency and independence of the justice system in Moldova – #Justice4Moldova”. During the meeting, the participants were informed about the main results of the activities implemented during the project’s second year, as well as what activities that are to be implemented until 2025.

During the reporting period, the following results were achieved:

• The members of the Justice Expert Group (JEG) developed 4 position papers:
  • Amicus Curiae on the complaint addressed to the Constitutional Court no.114a of 12.04.2023;
  • Position paper on the draft law amending Law no. 3/2016 on the Prosecutor’s Office;
  • Position paper on the draft law on the amendment of some normative acts – procedural aspects of courts’ activity;
  • Amicus Curiae on Complaints to the Constitutional Court no. 282a/2023 and 60a/2024.
• A public policy dialogue was organized to discuss and promote JEG’s recommendations presented in the position paper on the draft law amending Law No. 3/2016 on the Prosecution Service;
• JEG developed and presented the Shadow Monitoring Report on the implementation of the Strategy for ensuring the independence and integrity of the justice sector for 2022-2025;
• A campaign to raise awareness and provide information on integrity in the justice system was implemented, including the creation and publication of 2 infographics, an explanatory video, and 3 op-eds;
• The first focus group was organized, consisting of members of the General Prosecutor’s Office, territorial prosecutor’s offices, specialized prosecutor’s offices, and representatives of professional associations;
• A functional analysis of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova was carried out;
• Lawyers and journalists responsible for producing independent reports on the ethical and financial integrity of judges and prosecutors were selected;
• A study visit to Albania was organized for a group of lawyers and journalists from the Republic of Moldova.

Angelo Di Giorgi, Programme Officer for Justice, Human Rights, Elections, and Parliament at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, mentioned that this project plays a crucial role in strengthening the role of civil society and the media as key contributors to Moldova’s reform process. He highlighted the importance of ensuring integrity, efficiency, and independence within the Moldovan justice system. Mr. Di Giorgi noted that the EU has been financing various initiatives in the country in recent years, and with the project now in full maturity since its launch in March 2023, some remarkable achievements are already evident. He also acknowledged the valuable role of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms in implementing the project, praising their extensive expertise and strong commitment as key factors for the project’s success.

Oxana Brighidin, Officer for the Justice and Anticorruption Program at the Soros Foundation Moldova, expressed appreciation for the professionalism and dedication of the IPRE and IWPR teams, as well as the experts involved in the project. She highlighted the valuable expertise they bring and emphasized their significant role in promoting democratic values and advancing Moldova’s European integration. Ms. Brighidin also underscored the importance of a fair and independent justice system, grounded in the rule of law, as crucial for the country’s prosperity and the protection of every individual’s rights.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to increasing the role of civil society and the media in strengthening 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 activities, with meetings being organized every 6 months throughout the project. The next meeting will take place in April 2025. The Committee includes representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Superior Council of Magistracy, USAID Moldova, 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 “Securing integrity, efficiency and independence of the justice system in Moldova – #Justice4Moldova” project is implemented by the Institute for European Policies and Reforms as a lead partner, in consortium with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR). The project is funded by the European Union and co-funded by Soros Foundation Moldova.

#Justice4Moldova