Centre of legal, psychological assistance, rehabilitation of torture victims opened in Gagauz administrative centre

Chisinau, 26 July /MOLDPRES/ - The official opening of a centre of legal, psychological assistance and rehabilitation of torture victims was held on 25 July. The centre was set up within the project, We Will All Together Say No to Torture in Moldova: Civil Society against Torture, implemented by the Institute for Democracy (Comrat), in partnership with the National Institute of Woman from Moldova (Chisinau) and the Media Centre of Transnistria (Tiraspol), with the European Union’s support.    

The event was with impact. The honourary guest of the centre was Ambassador of the European Union to Moldova Peter Michalko.

Also, attending the centre’s inauguration were Political Adviser of the EU Delegation in Moldova Elena-Alina Doroftei, Ombudsman of Moldova Mihail Cotorobai, Comrat mayor Serghei Anastasov,  the rector of the Comrat State University and member of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia Serghei Zaharia, the head of Gagauzia’s external relations, Vitali Vlah, the head of the health and social protection department of Gagauzia, Alex Zlatovchen, and many other guests.      

The participants wished the centre much success, noting its importance for Gagauzia and assuring of support on behalf of the institutions they represent.

Ambassador of the European Union to Moldova Peter Michalko stressed that the human rights and democracy are fundamental values EU was backing all over the world, as these values stay at the basis of the relations and the Association Agreement between Moldova and EU. One of the EU’s commitments is to provide assistance and support for Moldova’s democratic development. The EU ambassador stressed that he was quite happy to announce the launch of the project We Will All Together Say No to Torture in Moldova: Civil Society against Torture.     

Peter Michalko said that, in 2017, it had become clear that there phenomenon of torture and ill treatment still existed in Moldova. In the context, he reminded the case of Andrei Braguta, who died in the penitentiary because of gaps in the detention system. The ambassador noted that the European Union supported the reform of police, in the context of the enforcement of the Association Agreement and its agenda. Within this budgetary support programme, all preventive arrest centres will be repaired. Nevertheless, the programme refers not only to the restoration of police isolation wards, but to more changes of mentality and behavior. The EU Delegation hopes that the phenomenon of torture and maltreatment of those in custody of police will disappear.   

Peter Michalko said that the starting of this project reaffirmed the EU’s continuous support for Moldova, which will be soon reflected in other dedicated projects, especially to strengthen local communities, by ensuring a close cooperation between the governmental agencies, civil society and citizens. Moldova’s citizen, no matter whether he/she lives in Chisinau, Comrat or Tiraspol, must be sure that he/she will remain in the centre of attention and support of EU, the European Union official stressed.   

The centre is placed in Comrat on the Tretiacov Street 21/3 (phone 078899110).