Moldovan deputy premier meets European officials

13:33 | 21.10.2021 Category: Official

Chisinau, 21 October /MOLDPRES/- On 20 October, Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu received a delegation of members of the Council of Europe's high-level working group on justice reform on a working visit to Chisinau, the MAEIE press service has reported.

"We thanked the Council of Europe delegation for assistance and expertise through the working group in amending legislation, including the Constitution, on the Superior Council of Magistracy and on ensuring the strengthening of the rule of law, and of democratic institutions ", Popescu said.

The officials stressed that the creation of the working group under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the continuation of fruitful cooperation with national institutions confirm the advanced degree of partnership between the Republic of Moldova and the Council of Europe.

"I reiterated that justice reform and the fight against high-level corruption are zero priority of our Government. The expertise of the working group remains essential in the process of advancing these reforms ", Popescu said.

The delegation of the Council of Europe welcomed the adoption by Parliament of the constitutional amendments and gave assurances on the availability of further provision of expertise to meet the goals in justice.

Context note: high-level working group to assist the justice reform process was set up in December 2019 under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and in January 2020 the Group's first visit to Chisinau took place, followed in February of the same year of the visit of the Venice Commission President, who is a member of the working group.

Once the pandemic, cooperation continued through videoconferencing. High-level experts from the Council of Europe provided assistance in drafting the Strategy for Ensuring the Independence and Integrity of the Justice Sector for 2020-2023 and the action plan on its implementation and the draft amendment to the Constitution.

Photo: MAEIE

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