Brief description:

An extensive support of the Project has been provided in the areas of criminal justice and particularly reform of the Public Prosecution Service of the Republic of Moldova (hereinafter - PPS) (hereinafter - CoE).

The Project’s intervention contributed to the adoption of the new PPS Law and related legislative and regulatory frameworks. The new PPS legislation, along with the relevant constitutional changes, is providing a sound ground for the implementation of the reforms in line with European standards, reflecting the majority of the main recommendations provided to the draft law concerned by Venice Commission Joint Opinion and the expert opinion.

Targeted support has been provided to the Ministry of Justice (hereinafter-MoJ) and the office of the Government Agent at the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter- GA Office), to enhance its institutional capacities and improve execution of ECtHR judgments against Moldova.

The Project’s stakeholders and target groups (judges, lawyers, prosecutors) have benefited from number of capacity enhancement activities.    

Project’s achievements as of the end 2016:

• The new law on PPS, which reflects most of the Venice Commission/Council of Europe recommendations, as along with relevant Constitutional changes provide a sound ground to implement meaningful reforms in conformity with European standards;
• Internal regulatory acts necessary for the proper functioning of the PPS and Superior Council of Prosecutors under the new legislative framework have been developed and adopted with the involvement of the local profile think-tank “Legal Recourse Center from Moldova”;
• Corruption risks within the PPS were assessed and recommendations were provided to enhance independence of the institution;
• Skills, knowledge and capacities of prosecutors, judges and lawyers were enhanced through different capacity building activities (trainings, workshops, awareness raising seminars) both as to the application of the ECHR standards in criminal justice field and as to the novelties of the PPS reform in the light of the new legal framework;

How these have been achieved:

• Large scale expertise was provided to the draft law on Public Prosecution Service and relevant recommendations on its compliance with CoE standards were transmitted to the authorities;
• Extensive expert technical assistance was provided for the development of three internal regulations of the Superior Council of Prosecutors;
• Eight round table/public discussions and a number of expert meetings were organised to discuss findings of reports, expert opinions, draft legislations and enhance inclusivity in the legislation process;
• One study visit, two international conferences and three seminars on PPS reform were organised for prosecutors;
• Pool of 9 prosecutor-trainers (78% male and 22% female)  on the topics of management and leadership within the PPS was established, who disseminated their knowledge to around 100 peers (95% males and 5% females) from different parts of the country, during eight training sessions;
• About 210 prosecutors (90% male and 10% female) were trained to ensure their awareness about the progress of the implementation of the PPS reform, and enhance their knowledge and capacities on European standards in relation to criminal proceedings and prosecutorial competences in the context of the new PPS legislation.