The Council of Europe Office in Chisinau Newsletter| December 2021




Versiunea în romană a buletinului informativ poate fi accesată aici


Welcome to the Chisinau Office Newsletter!

Thank you for signing up to keep in touch with the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau. December is a month for reflection and celebration of the annual results. This year we accomplished achievements thanks to various activities and initiatives, of which we are proud: awareness raising campaigns on child sexual abuse, four new projects in the field of criminal justice, prison and probation, elections and equality and diversity were launched successfully while others in the field of local governance, combating corruption, audio-visual regulation, and child protection were finalized. The professional skills of the prison staff on provision of health care and the capacities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to deliver training on fundamental safeguards against ill-treatment were enhanced. The Democratic School Governance Methodological Guide was piloted in 50 schools. The Equality Council approved its first Monitoring Strategy, ensuring a systematic approach. Targeted video spots aiming to increase voters’ participation in elections and awareness campaigns on child sexual abuse reaching over 2 million people were disseminated on TV and online. The first public digital multimedia platform for children Zuper.md and three documentaries on human rights and social issues were launched with Council of Europe support. These are the highlights for the whole year. Read our newsletter to know more about the highlights in December. Thank you for following us. We wish you a pleasant reading!

Steering Group meeting of the EU/CoE Project “Support to further strengthening the efficiency and quality of the judicial system in the Republic of Moldova”

Steering Group meeting of the EU/CoE Project “Support to further strengthening the efficiency and quality of the judicial system in the Republic of Moldova”

The 4th Steering Group meeting took place on 1 December 2021 by means of videoconferencing. On this occasion, the Project’s partners took stock of the results and progress achieved over the last 6 months and approved the action plan for the next period. A particular focus has been put on key initiatives of the Project such as the Concept of the national electronic tool to publish judicial statistics (JUSTAT), the recommendations to improve the communication policy documents of the Moldovan judiciary and the measure to further develop the IT tools of the enforcement system.

Legal professionals enhanced their knowledge on the use of exceptional grounds for requesting and ordering pre-trial detention and house arrest

Legal professionals enhanced their knowledge on the use of exceptional grounds for requesting and ordering pre-trial detention and house arrest

59 judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and free legal aid lawyers are now better informed on the risk of public disorders as one of the grounds for the arrest, including the rights to the presumption of liberty and the presumption of innocence, the equity of the procedures for ordering the arrest and the justification of the risk and motivation of the court decision.

On 01 December 2021, the Council of Europe project “Strengthening the human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova” carried out an online workshop on the use of exceptional grounds for requesting and ordering pre-trial detention and house arrest.

Legal professionals enhanced their knowledge on the use of exceptional grounds for requesting and ordering pre-trial detention and house arrest

Council of Europe project continues supporting the reforms in the criminal justice sector - second Steering Committee Meeting

The second Steering Committee meeting of the Council of Europe Project “Strengthening the prison and probation reforms, provision of health care and the treatment of patients in closed institutions in the Republic of Moldova” was held online, following almost 9 months since its start.

The meeting was marked with a fruitful exchange on the progress registered under the Project during March – December 2021, among which: the transformations following the piloting of the reorganisation of tasks within 3 pilot prisons, the endowment of the pilot Day Centre for the rehabilitation of offenders on probation with modern IT equipment and furniture; the accreditation of medical and non-medical staff of multidisciplinary teams from prisons - doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists and social assistants etc.

Post-electoral conference in Gagauzia

Post-electoral conference in Gagauzia

Over 40 representatives of the national and regional authorities, political parties, development partners, civil society and media took part in the online post-electoral conference on 3 December 2021.

The objective of the conference was to analyse the context in which the People’s Assembly Elections in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia were held, including through the institutional, legal and youth perspectives.

Second meeting of the Steering Committee of the Council of Europe Project “Strengthening the human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova”

Second meeting of the Steering Committee of the Council of Europe Project “Strengthening the human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova”

The Council of Europe project “Strengthening the human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova” held its 2nd Project Steering Committee (SC) meeting to discuss the project progress under the reporting period (March – December 2021) and to endorse the Project Annual Work Plan for 2022.

The event gathered representatives of the Project’s beneficiaries and partner institutions. During the SC meeting, the partner institutions expressed their commitment to the Project in further co-operation and support. The SC meeting concluded with the endorsement of the Project Annual Work Plan for 2022.

99 police officers were trained on non-discrimination, equality and combating hate crimes

99 police officers were trained on non-discrimination, equality and combating hate crimes

On 8, 9 and 10 December, 99 police officers were trained on human rights subjects, in particular on non-discrimination and equality aspects. They were also trained on how to identify and investigate hate crimes in 3 educational workshops organized for police officers from the General Police Inspectorate (GPI).

The 3 trainings were facilitated by 7 trainers from GPI. They were trained throughout 2021 in the framework of cooperation projects of the Council of Europe, in order to share with their colleagues, the knowledge gained from international experts in the field of human rights-based approach.

Journalists, national public authorities and civil society discussed the topic of access to information in the Republic of Moldova

Journalists, national public authorities and civil society discussed the topic of access to information in the Republic of Moldova

On 10 December, the Council of Europe project "Promoting European standards in the audiovisual regulation of the Republic of Moldova" organised a round table on "Ensuring access to information for journalists in the Republic of Moldova - challenges and new opportunities."

During the event, journalists, civil society and public officials discussed the current challenges in obtaining information of public interest, as well as the new opportunities brought about by the entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents or the Tromsø Convention.

107 children from the Republic of Moldova participated in the project "All different, all equal"

107 children from the Republic of Moldova participated in the project "All different, all equal"

107 children, participants of the project "All different, all equal", their parents and project team presented the results and knowledge gained about diversity, equality and tolerance in the final event on 14 December 2021.

Implemented during November-December, the project aimed to help building an open attitude towards diversity, understanding and accepting differences and encouraging children aged 7-10 to advocate for tolerance, diversity and equal rights.

11 police officers from the Republic of Moldova gathered with their counterparts in Spain, for exchanges on diversity aspects and policing against hate crime

11 police officers from the Republic of Moldova gathered with their counterparts in Spain, for exchanges on diversity aspects and policing against hate crime

From 13 to 15 December 2021, 11 representatives of the General Police Inspectorate participated in a study visit to the Police of Madrid and Fuenlabrada (Spain). They have discussed both community police practice, diversity aspects in policing and the fight against hate crime.

This activity aimed to offer the possibility to the police officers from the Republic of Moldova to learn from the practice of the Police in Spain on investigating hate crimes and to discover the experience on community policing. The group also had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas on improving the work with victims of hate crime.

Next year activities’ work plan approved by the Project Steering Committee in the electoral field

Next year activities’ work plan approved by the Project Steering Committee in the electoral field

The Council of Europe (CoE) Project Improving Electoral Practice in the Republic of Moldova, Phase II held its second Steering Committee meeting online on 15 December 2021. Some of the most important activities realised within the Project are: the awareness raising social campaign with the voters for the Moldovan diaspora and citizens residing on the left back of the Nistru River in the context of the July 2021 early parliamentary elections, combating hate speech in electoral campaigns, improving communication between the CEC and electoral stakeholders etc.

Next year activities’ work plan approved by the Project Steering Committee in the electoral field

Representatives of Central Election Commission went to Estonia for a study visit on internet voting

The Council of Europe provided support in organising a study visit of the representatives of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova (CEC) to Estonia aiming at exchanging experience on Internet voting with relevant Estonian institutions in the period of 12-15 December 2021.

The five-member Moldovan delegation was provided with the opportunity to analyse the Estonian experience in the field of electronic voting implementation, but also other alternative voting mechanisms.

Fighting Discrimination and Providing Justice for Ethnic Minorities in the Republic of Moldova

Fighting Discrimination and Providing Justice for Ethnic Minorities in the Republic of Moldova

Until April 2022, the Moldovan NGO Roma National Centre will implement a project intending to change the negative attitude towards Roma and other ethnic minority groups in the country, as well as to raise awareness of society about the discriminatory practices that lead to social and economic degradation of the country. The NGO also aims to increase access to justice for these groups and equal rights among the society. This project is carried out with the support of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, and its regional project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Eastern Partnership.

Equal opportunities without sexism: combating sexist speech, gender-based discrimination and violence against women

Equal opportunities without sexism: combating sexist speech, gender-based discrimination and violence against women

Until April 2022, the Moldovan NGO Gender-Centru, as host organization of the Platform for Gender Equality, will implement a project aiming at increasing equal opportunities without sexism in the Republic of Moldova and at raising awareness in the society at large to take a stance to combat sexist speech, gender-based discrimination and violence against women in elections.

This project is carried out with the support of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, and its regional project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Eastern Partnership.

Enhancing the knowledge on inclusive education for trainers of the National Institute of Justice

Enhancing the knowledge on inclusive education for trainers of the National Institute of Justice

Trainers of the National Institute of Justice have broadened their knowledge on inclusive education during a two half-day online training of trainers. Trainees analysed cases encountered in their professional experience as well as the situation of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova.

The event held on 15-16 December, was focused on the international legal framework (the United Nations Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Revised European Social Charter) relevant to inclusive education.

Newly developed digital library will make, alongside the other electronic tools, electoral knowledge more accessible in the Republic of Moldova

Newly developed digital library will make, alongside the other electronic tools, electoral knowledge more accessible in the Republic of Moldova

The Council of Europe, in co-operation with the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova (CEC) and the Centre for Continuous Electoral Training (Training Centre) completed the development of the Digital library for the Training Centre. In addition, new functionalities for the E-learning platform were developed, as well as for the electronic Register of trained and certified experts.

Hence, besides various electoral trainings, the members of the electoral management bodies, of the social society, first-time voters, journalists, observers, or any interested person, are now able to borrow any manual or hand out either on hard copy or online.

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