(International Conference, Chisinau, Moldova, 7-8 December 2001)
The conference has been held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, the Institute for Public Policy (IPP), the Institute for Political Studies and International Relations (IPSIR) with the financial support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation from Germany.
The admission in june 2001 of Moldova in the Stability Pact as a full member was for sure a very important achievement for the country, which declared the European integration as its strategic long-term goal. But it was a result of the actions mainly promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, while other state structures were not involved so far in the Stability Pact activities. From the other side, the civil society is not familiar with the issues of the Stability Pact.
That is why the conference goal was to use the discussions in order to formulate some suggestions, which could be taken in consideration in the process of elaboration of an action plan of the more efficient involvement of the Republic of Moldova in the Stability Pact activities. From the other side, the conference was aimed to inform more largely the society about the Stability Pact's ideas.
The organizers had the intention to involve in the conference the representatives of the official structures, academia and business community, local mass-media. A special attention was given to the participation in the conference of the members of recently created Interministerial Committee for cooperation of Moldova with the Stability Pact, headed by the National Coordinator of Moldova to the Stability Pact, H.E. Mr. Nicolae DUDAU, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and also of the members of the Parliamentary delegation of Moldova to the Parliamentary Group of the Stability Pact. The head of delegation is Mr. Vladimir TURCANU, and the deputy head - Mr. Dumitru BRAGHIS.
174 registered participants and 20 representatives of mass-media (18 local and 2 Ukrainians) took part in the conference. During the conference, 44 reports were presented (10 of them by foreign experts).
At the plenary session, Mr. Nicolae DUDAU, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Bodo HOMBACH, Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact, made presentations. At the same session the representatives of the three working tables of the Stability Pact took the floor.
Later on, the participants have been working in three parallel sessions, where the problems of co-operation were discussed in frame of three working tables: Working Table I - Democratization and human rights, Working Table II - Economic reconstruction, co-operation and development, and Working Table III - Security issues, justice and internal affairs. The speakers, representatives of the official structures and of the civil society, and also foreign experts, put the accent in the discussions on the following aspects:
- To identify the modalities of co-operation in the frame of Working Tables of the Stability Pact, using, among other, the expertise and the experience of the Balkan countries, members and contributors to the Stability Pact, and with the contribution of the representatives of some international organizations.
- To state the problems that should be addressed to improve the participation of the Republic of Moldova in this structure for international co-operation.
- To identify the opportunities offered by the co-operation in the frame of the Stability Pact in order to accelerate the social and economic reforms in Moldova.
- To point out the modalities to assure the contribution of Moldova to the stability and development in the region of South East Europe.
- To raise public awareness on the necessity of active participation of authorities and civil society of Moldova in the Stability Pact activities.
- To develop an action plan of active involvement of the Republic of Moldova in the Stability Pact activities.
During the discussions, the participants have made a presentation on Moldova's participation in the Stability Pact, and have formulated a number of suggestions on active involvement of Moldova in this regional initiative. The conference itself and the visit of Mr. Bodo HOMBACH in Moldova were largely reflected in mass-media.
SUMMARY OF PRESENTATIONS AT THE CONFERENCE
PLENARY SESSION
Nicolae DUDAU, Minister of Foreign Affairs. THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA IN THE STABILITY PACT
Considering the fact that the Republic of Moldova joined the Stability Pact later than other countries, we are now amidst a process of recuperating the opportunities missed at that particular time?
Bodo HOMBACH, Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe. PARTICIPATION IN THE STABILITY PACT - A FACTOR OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTThe Stability Pact is the toolkit that accompanies the country in its way of European Integration?
Working Table I. DEMOCRATIZATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Igor BOTAN, Association "ADEPT". MOLDOVA'S LEGAL FRAMEWORK REGARDING THE RIGHTS OF THE NATIONAL MINORITIES THROUGH THE PRISM OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PROCESSES
Moldova's intention to join in a further future the European Union, an intention partially confirmed by the adherence to the Stability Pact for the South-Eastern Europe, should cause a shift in emphasis concerning the harmonization of interethnic relations...
Igor GROSU, "CONTACT" Center. PARTICIPATION OF MOLDOVAN NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STABILITY PACT
The degree of implication of nongovernmental organizations from Moldova is relative in comparison with civil societies from the states of the Stability Pact?
Ion MIHAILO, Coordination Council of the Audiovisual Media. ELECTRONIC MASS MEDIA AND DEMOCRATIZATION
The present Law on Audiovisual Media with the modifications and amendments made during these 5 years manages to a large extent to regulate the activity of the audiovisual means of communication?
Nicolae NEGRU, Independent Journalism Center. MASS MEDIA IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
From the legal point of view, the Law of Audiovisual should be amended in the way that the governmental party cannot change the leadership of the national radiotelevision when it desires to do so. The National Television and Radio should be transformed into public institutions?
Ecaterina SILVESTRU, Ministry of Justice. THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Starting with 1996-97, the Republic of Moldova faced a new phenomenon, previously unknown. Significant influxes of persons pass through Moldova, directing to the west. The majority of them are from African and Asian countries...
Working Table II. ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION, CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Valeriu PROHNITCHI, "VIITORUL" Foundation. EVALUATION OF INTEGRATION POTENTIAL IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPEA much better option for the development of regional trade would be the option of adherence of all countries to one multilateral treaty of free trade in the region?
Ana BOROMISA, Institute of Economy, Croatia. STABILITY PACT AND ECONOMIC REFORMS. CROATIA VS. MOLDOVA
Croatia and Moldova, both, have institutionalised their relations with the EU. The agreements are different?
Dr. Alexandru MURZAC, UNDP Moldova. THE EXTENSION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO THE EST - SOME IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA SHOULD CONSIDER
The affiliation to the EU as an associated member is in the best interests of Moldova as a small country in the process of "adaptation" to the "challenges" of globalization and will improve the external position, security and stability of Moldova...
Alexandru MIJA, Ministry of economy. THE DEVELOPMENT OF CROSS BORDER CO-OPERATION WITHIN EURO-REGIONS
Until now important steps were made by common actions in the fields of culture, education, healthcare, sports, tourism, youth, information exchange and local public administration. However, essential changes in economic collaboration have not been made?
Nicolae STRATAN, Deputy Minister of Ecology, Constructions and Territorial Development. THE POLICIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
The main objective of the environmental policy is the prevention and the reduction of the negative impact of the economic activity on the environmental factor and natural resources, in the context of durable development of the country?
Dr. Ilie TIMOFTE, Ministry of Energy. ABOUT SOME PRIORITY DIRECTIONS OF DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGETIC INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA ON MEDIUM AND LONG TERMS
The power sector is affected by the gap between the demand and offer, by the insufficiency of domestic and external investments and by the ruination of the production potential...
Working Table III. SECURITY ISSUES (JUSTICE AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS)
Gheorghe POPA, Deputy Minister of Defence. THE REFORM OF THE SECURITY SECTOR
The development of the international military collaboration contributes to the avoiding of the isolation of our country from the processes in the sphere of defense and consolidates the national security?
Alexandru GRECU, Chief of the Main Staff, border guard troops. BORDER CONTROL FOR ASSURING NATIONAL SECURITY
The main pressure on behalf of illegal migration goes to the border guard services, a characteristic fact for any country including ours?
Tatiana MLECICO, General Director, Department for Interethnic Relations. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL MINORITIES AND DIASPORAThe policy of Moldova as a sovereign and independent state is oriented to create conditions for the real equality of all nations?
Lidia LOZOVANU, Ministry of Justice. JUDICIARY REFORM IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
We have to mention that the scope of the judiciary and law reform to a great extent has been accomplished, but one have to eliminate the noticed deficiencies?
Tudor OSOIANU, University of Criminology. THE LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK REGARDING THE ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVE OF THE STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
The Department for Fighting against Organized Crime and Corruption (DFOCC), conceived and intended for the elucidation of the cases of corruption in the superior layers of the state power from the Republic of Moldova, has not achieved its goals?
Larisa MICULET, High Representative of Moldova at SPOC. IMPLEMENTING THE INITIATIVE AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME IN MOLDOVAThe existent criminal penal procedural legislation, instead of being a flexible instrument that facilitates the prosecution in short terms of the criminal groups, it turns this process into a lengthy one and even does not allow fighting this phenomenon?
Jana COSTACHI, Association of Women Lawyers. TRAFFIC IN WOMEN WITH THE INTENT OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
At the present time there is no viable national strategy oriented towards the prevention and eradication of this social vice, nor are there consolidated efforts on behalf of the related institutions?
Efim OBREJA, "Transparency International - Moldova". CONSOLIDATION OF NATIONAL CAPACITIES FOR FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA AND THE NATIONAL "ANTI-CORRUPTION"PROGRAM
If we consider that in the Republic of Moldova there are approximately 600 large tax payers and about one third of them frequently pay bribes (we suppose 10 times a year in average), then the number of bribery cases would constitute about 2000, and if we consider the number of tax-payers on January 1st, 2000 recorded at the territorial state fiscal inspectorates, we can easily compute that the number of bribery cases solely due to this factor constitutes about 1.5 million. Thus, those about 130 bribery cases recorded by the legal institutions in 2000 are practically nothing in comparison with our calculation?
