​SITUATION WITH JUSTICE REFORM IN MOLDOVA RAISES CONCERNS – EU DELEGATION HEAD

Ambassador Peter Michalko, Head of the European Union Delegation to Moldova maintains that the EU is concerned about the process of implementing the reform of the judiciary in Moldova.

Speaking in a live program “Friday with Anatol Golea” on the RTR Moldova channel [the Moldovan subsidiary of Russia’s second-largest television and radio corporation], he said that the perspectives of EU–Moldova cooperation in 2020, as well as the providing to the country of macro-financial assistance depends on the fulfillment of Moldova’s commitments within the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

“The previous Government has rehabilitated the relations with the EU, fulfilling a number of essential conditions. The Chicu’s Government stated reforms will be continued. We should make sure that Moldova is fulfilling the commitments it has made, including in the field of justice reforming”, the diplomat said.

He reminded that in 2017, the EU refused to allocate the promised 28 million euros for judiciary reform because the conditions have not been executed.

“Now the situation is again raising concerns. Recently, the Anticorruption Prosecution Office took measures on investigating a number of resonant criminal cases, including the cases on bank fraud. The checks in the Anticorruption Prosecution Office, initiated after that by the Prosecutor General, raise concerns. It is very important that the investigations to continue. Also, it is important not to lose the accumulated materials within these criminal cases, and all those guilty to be brought to responsibility”, said the EU delegation head.

He stressed that an important role in these processes will be played by prosecutors.

“Also, it is important that, on the one hand, criminal cases not to be investigated by prosecutors, who are personally involved in these cases as suspects, because they sabotaged the investigation or committed other violations. On the other hand, prosecutors who are investigating these criminal cases should be sure they can act according to the law without fearing persecution for the adopted decisions. All these moments are very important! Only in this case, we can rely on the fact that Moldovan citizens will trust in judiciary and the fairness of the justice”, Michalko said.

Answering to the host’s questions, he assured that the European Union is providing and will keep providing to Moldova all the necessary help in investigating the one-billion-dollar bank fraud if there are requests on taking measures in EU countries. According to him, this also concerns the persecution of persons involved in stealing of money from Moldovan banking system.