Moldovan parliament creates parliamentary control platform on legislation in anti-trafficking sector

Chisinau, 18 October /MOLDPRES/ – The Legislature set a parliamentary control platform to implement legislation on combat trafficking in human beings. The first hearings of the responsible structures’ representatives took place today, during a meeting chaired by Parliament Speaker, Andrian Candu, the parliament's communication and public relations department has reported.

According to Speaker, the Parliament as a representative body of the holder of national sovereignty must know how the legislation for combating trafficking in human beings is implemented throughout the parliamentary control mechanism. "The purpose of the platform is to control and synchronize the legislative and governmental agenda on a vitally significant issue, such as the fight against trafficking in human beings," said the Parliament Speaker.

Similarly, Andrian Candu added that "the field is well monitored by development partners, especially I refer to yearly report of the US State Department on the Situation of Human Trafficking, but also to other international organizations to which Moldova is a party".

In this context, the head of the Legislature suggested meetings every six months of all parliamentary and governmental parties involved to examine, coordinate actions and measures taken on anti – trafficking, as well as identify mutually agreed solutions. Andrian Candu referred to the subject Standing Bureaus, members of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (CNFC), created at the Executive level, development partners and non – governmental organizations (NGOs) in the field.

In the presented report, Deputy Prime Minister, Andrei Galbur, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, President of CN CNFU , referred to the set of priority actions to be implemented by the end of 2017, in response to the recommendations of the annual US State Department. Among them, the official nominated the fight against corruption in the judiciary, protection of judges and prosecutors from intimidation and corruption, protection of victims and witnesses, etc.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, a priority remains the review of the Strategy and Action Plan on Trafficking in Human Beings and resolution of existing patterns in the field of prevention and assistance to victims and potential victims. The official listed the lack of free medical insurance of the victims, lack of social services for persons, street begging and the financing of public information actions on the phenomenon from the state budget.

In this context, Parliament Speaker, Andrian Candu, noted those items and said they could be examined on the parliamentary branch in the legislative process for examining the draft State Budget for 2018.

With thematic reports on the areas of competence informed: Minister of Internal Affairs, Alexandru Jizdan, General Prosecutor, Eduard Harunjen, Deputy Minister of Health, Labour and Social Protection, Viorica Dumbraveanu and the permanent secretary of CN CTFU, Ecaterina Berejan. The speakers welcomed the expansion of the national platform for combating trafficking in human beings, reported the recorded results and existing challenges and thanked the US Embassy in Moldova for various anti-trafficking segments.

Present at the meeting, US Ambassador to Chisinau, James Pettit, reiterated the constant support of the American people to resolve that sad, complex and transnational problem. "Our purpose is a common one – fight against trafficking in human beings and the State Department's recommendations are to improve the situation within the domain," said the diplomat.

At the hearings participated members of the Legal, Appointments and Immunities Commission, Commission for Social Protection, Health and Family, Commission for Human Rights and Inter – ethnic Relations, Foreign Policy and European Integration Commission, Government representatives, National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Diplomatic Corps and development partners from the EU Delegation, UNDP, etc.

The Parliament has established the parliamentary scrutiny procedure on implementation of legislation as a priority for the current session.