Politics

PACE SUPPORTS MOLDOVAN LEADERSHIP’S EFFORTS ON ERADICATING ELEMENTS OF CAPTURED STATE

04 octomber, 2019

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on Thursday, which is based on a report on functioning of democratic institutions in the Republic of Moldova, prepared by co-rapporteurs following their visit to Moldova in summer.

The document says the Assembly acknowledges the legitimate and necessary steps needed to eradicate all elements of a “captured state” from state institutions. At the same time, the Assembly calls on the Moldovan authorities to ensure that the measures to be introduced will allow them to reform the system, and eventually consolidate the democratic institutions.

The Assembly welcomes the determination of the authorities to address pressing issues and restore confidence in the justice system. At the same time, it recalls that it is of fundamental importance to ensure that the changes proposed will strengthen the independence and impartiality of the judicial and prosecutorial regulatory bodies and establish open, transparent and merit-based recruitment systems.

The resolution expresses concern with insufficient transparency of recent appointment of Constitutional Court judges.

As for the one-billion-dollar bank fraud, the PACE regrets that, five years later, the investigations carried out have proved inconclusive. It therefore welcomes the recent steps taken by the parliament to create a parliamentary investigative committee to re-launch the investigation, as well as the publication of the Kroll 2 audit report.

“Assembly now expects all those involved to be brought to justice. It also calls on all Council of Europe member States concerned to fully co-operate with the Moldovan justice to trace and recover the stolen money”, the document says.

In relation to the Transnistrian settlement, the PACE welcomes the willingness of the Moldovan authorities to continue the 5+2 discussions to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Transnistrian conflict, reiterating its full support for the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and its call on the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops and equipment from the Moldovan territory on the honoring of Russia’s obligations and commitments. In this context, the Assembly welcomes any initiative that could result, as a first step, in the liquidation of the ammunition stock in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.

The Assembly encourages the Moldovan authorities to pursue their co-operation with the Council of Europe, in particular the Venice Commission, and make use of its expertise, in particular for the reform of the judiciary, the prosecution office and the anti-corruption legislation.

Also, in the context of local and parliamentary elections to be held on 20 October 2019, the Assembly calls on the Moldovan authorities to ensure that elections are organized in compliance with the best practices and standards of the Council of Europe.

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