Support the pre-trial investigation, prosecution and the defence set-up in Moldova

Project description

The overall objective of this project is to accelerate the sustainable reform of the justice sector in Moldova and to increase the efficiency of the judiciary and other agencies in the justice chain.

This particular project aims at criminal justice reform in Moldova. It has the following 4 pillars:

• to contribute to the growth of the efficiency of pre-trial activities of investigation and prosecution and defense particularly in the context of the reforms proposed in the Justice Sector Reform Strategy and Action Plan;
• to support re-definition of institutional and procedural set-up for the pre-trial stage, resulting in a more efficient evidence collection, detection and prosecution of crime, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• to contribute to a more effective independent and specialized investigation of ill-treatment and other abuses committed by law enforcement officials;
• to support the consolidation of capacity of prosecutors, criminal prosecution officers and defense lawyers to perform their work by applying modern and efficient methodologies.

The direct beneficiaries are institutions involved in criminal investigation, criminal prosecution, as well as those rendering legal services in the course of criminal procedure: the Prosecutor General’s Office (as leading authority), the General Directorate of Criminal Prosecution and National Inspectorate of Investigations of the General Inspectorate of Police of the Ministry of Interior, the Customs Service, and the National Anti-corruption Centre. Other indirect beneficiaries include associated work colleagues, as well as any person or entity who becomes involved in the criminal justice system, as offenders or victims, plaintiffs or defendants, and the general public at large.

At the root of the endeavours leading to the launching of this project lays the understanding that a well functioning judicial system is key to the establishment of the Rule of Law, which translates into trust in public institutions and democracy. Our intervention will assist the Moldovan stakeholders to pursue judicial reform on a very wide front, dealing with a wide variety of problem areas, ranging from judicial training to legal, institutional, organisational, managerial and communication targets.