Moldova, Council of Europe mark 25 years of partnership

Chisinau, 13 July /MOLDPRES/ - Moldova and the Council of Europe (CoE) today mark 25 years of partnership. On this occasion, Prime Minister Ion Chicu conveyed a congratulatory message, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

The message reads:   

„Today, we mark 25 years of solid and constant partnership of Moldova with the Council of Europe.   

On 13 July 1995 in Strasbourg, Moldova was signing the documents on accession to the Council of Europe, thus becoming the 36th member of the organization and making the first step towards the integration into the European value space. On the same day, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was signed, which once ratified, gave each citizen of Moldova right to have direct access to the European Court of Human Rights – one of the most efficient inter-governmental mechanisms of ensuring the observance of human rights.

From the very beginning, our country saw in the Council of Europe a reliable partner, which presently also continues to represent one of the principal sources of valuable expertise in the domestic reformation processes.

I am glad to find out that Moldova has always benefited from the support and understanding of the Council of Europe, from counseling of European experts, including through the Venice Commission, in terms of elaboration of the legislation according to the democratic standards, as well as of the orientations both on calmer or more agitated periods of the national political life. In the context, we might evoke also the valuable expertise as regards the Supreme Law, work of the judicial system, ensuring the minorities’ rights, strengthening of the local public administration, etc.   

Today, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Moldova joining the Council of Europe; this is a fit moment for reflection also to recall and reaffirm the desiderata of the young Republic at the moment of accession – to become a state with strong democratic institutions, based on the supremacy of law and observance of the fundamental human rights. Therefore, this way was marked by the promotion of the standards of the rule of law state; institutions were set up and institutional capacities were developed, destinies were influenced and we everybody felt a high level of freedom. 

More than a political goal of any governance, the continuous fulfillment of the commitments assumed before the Council of Europe represents a considerable leap for the country’s development too; this fact is conditioned by the existence of an independent justice, zero tolerance to corruption, where each person can be confident that his/her rights will be observed and protected.     

To this end, we deeply appreciate the Council of Europe’s assistance offered based on the action plans for Moldova, as well as through the joint programmes of the Council of Europe and European Union.

In my capacity of Prime Minister, I want to offer thanks to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for the creation and work of the Council of Europe’s ad-hoc high level working group for justice reform, which, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, was by our side in the advancement of the processes of amendment of the constitutional provisions related to the Superior Council of Magistracy, as well as in giving final touches to the drafts Strategies for Ensuring the Independence and Integrity of the Justice System for 2020-2023 and its action plan. These steps are decisive in the agenda of the domestic transformations and in the way of Moldova’s European integration.        

On this difficult period, marked by the pandemic crisis, we highly appreciate the support of the Council of Europe Development Bank and the COVID-19 related loan worth 70 million euros for the partial financing of the urgent intervention measures in the medical assistance sector and the support provided to small- and medium-sized enterprises from Moldova.   

These are just several examples of our current and exemplary cooperation with the Council of Europe. We appreciate the continuous and constant contribution of this organization and we thank the Council of Europe’s officials who presently help us,  those who have helped us during years, as well as all those from home, who contribute to Moldova’s anchoring to the great European family.    

We reiterate Moldova’s determination to defend and promote the common values and principles of the Council of Europe and voice hope that, at the next anniversary, we will be able to regard with pride the joint achievements, for the benefit of Moldova’s citizens and for attaining our European desideratum.’’