Fifteen nongovernmental organizations of Moldova constituted the Forum for Consumer Protection in Food Safety. The forum is an apolitical, nonprofit union that aims to influence public policy in the agrifood, phytosanitary and consumer protection sectors, IPN reports.

The forum was created on the basis of three Consumer Assistance Centers (CAC) situated in Chisinau, Cahul and Balti, which are coordinated by the NGOs. The centers provide information, consultancy and primary legal aid services in the area of consumer rights and food safety.

CAC Center coordinator Viorel Parvan said any consumer who believes that his rights were violated can go directly to the Assistance Center or can report the case on the green line 022 233 200, on the website www.alegesanatos.md or directly at the center.

The forum will represent a platform that will suggest amending the legislation depending on the necessities of consumers and will be a dialogue bridge between consumers and authorities. The invitation to join the forum is open to all the NGOs that subscribe to the initiative.

The creation of the Forum for Consumer Protection in Food Safety was coordinated by East-Europe Foundation within the program “Harmonization of sanitary and phytosanitary policies of the Republic of Moldova with those of the European Union” that is financed by the Government of Sweden and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.