Council of Europe Action Plan for Moldova for 2021-2024 launched in Strasbourg

Chisinau, 19 April /MOLDPRES/- Official launch of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Moldova for 2021-2024 took place today at the Council of Europe, in the presence of President Maia Sandu and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić, the MAEIE press service has reported.

The action plan sets out the cooperation priorities for the next four years and has as its main goal the support of democratic reforms and the implementation of Council of Europe standards on democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights in the Republic of Moldova.

Under the action plan, the Council of Europe will continue to provide assistance in priority areas - justice reform focused on ensuring the integrity and independence of justice actors, as well as transparency, accountability and efficiency of the sector, reform of the criminal and penitentiary systems, including the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, fight against corruption and money laundering, freedom of assembly; combating discrimination, crime and hate speech and strengthening the independence of the press, in particular with regard to the regulatory agency and the public broadcaster.

A special issue is dedicated to confidence-building measures between different actors on the two banks of the Dniester. Joint projects are to strengthen the results achieved by implementing previous action plans.

At the same time, new areas have been identified and agreed upon for the consolidation of which joint efforts and support from the Council of Europe are needed, including - legal aid; mediation and reconciliation in criminal matters; combating trafficking in human beings; social rights and human rights in the health sector; preventing and combating violence against women and local government.

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