EU to provide €40 million for reforming law enforcement bodies
Moldova may receive €40 million from the foreign partners for restructuring the law enforcement bodies as part of a multidimensional reform that applies to the Ministry of the Interior, the Center for Combating Corruption and Economic Crime, the Prosecutor General's Office, and the judiciary, Info-Prim Neo reports.
After a meeting with heads of law enforcement bodies and foreign partners, Prime Minister Vald Filat said they discussed the steps that have been taken and are yet to be taken within the reform. “We presented the plan of action and were assured that we will continue to receive counseling and financial support,” he stated.
The Premier said that the investments will be covered with money from the state budget and by the foreign partners. According to Vlad Filat, the reformation of the judiciary, the Ministry of the Interior and the Prosecutor General's Office is the most difficult step. “It is easier to implement the economic reform than the reform of systems governed by mentality and a powerful internal position,” he said.
Minister of Justice Alexandru Tanase said the law enforcement agencies must ensure the rights and freedoms of the people. “Many of the cases remitted to courts are insufficiently examined because the capacities are limited, the prosecutors and prosecution lawyers have low salaries, while the investigation equipment is outdated,” he stressed.
According to him, the reform should cover the whole prosecution system. “We want to redefine and review the notion of prosecution and work out a new system,” the minister said, adding the reformation of the prosecution system and criminal justice system may last for four years.
The officials underlined that no employees of law enforcement bodies will be made redundant within this reform, but the quality of their work will not improve if the salaries are not raised.
