European Public Prosecutor's Office prepared to provide support to Moldova on way of joining EU, European Chief Prosecutor says

Chisinau, 12 July /MOLDPRES/ - The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is prepared to provide Moldova with support on the road of joining the European Union. European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi made statements to this effect at a news conference held jointly with Justice Minister Sergiu Litvinenco in Chisinau today.   

According to the official, a first important step is the signing of a cooperation agreement between EPPO and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Moldova, which will facilitate the exchange of strategic information between the two institutions.   

„It is necessary that we detect the frauds and make exchanges of information as partners. Also, it is important to initiate the process of adjusting the national legislation to the European one as to the combating of corruption and combating frauds. Citizen of the European Union means the acceptance of the idea of a European justice. The process of joining EU is not a technical one, but also a social one, as the European integration is made for the country’s citizens, who share the system of European cultures and values,’’ Laura Codruta Kövesi said.  

For his part, Justice Minister Sergiu Litvinenco said the visit by the European Chief Prosecutor was extremely important for Moldova. ‘’The citizens want an upright and independent justice. To advance in the European integration process, we must undertake concrete actions in the fight against corruption and in the justice sector and your experience will help us a lot to this end. We today discussed the initiatives promoted by the Justice ministry as to the anticorruption fight, evaluating the integrity of the civil servants from the law-enforcement bodies, the reform of the Supreme Court of Justice, cleaning the corps of judges and the one of prosecutors. The openness provided today makes us be confident and act correctly. We have zero tolerance to corruption and we will carry the fight through, as this is the project of our generation,’’ Sergiu Litvinenco stressed.       

European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi is on an official visit to Chisinau on 12-14 July. During the visit, the European Chief prosecutor had meetings with President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita and other officials.