On Monday 17 November CILC launched a bilateral initiative on cooperation in the field of the judiciary between the Netherlands and the Republic of Moldova at the Moldovan Ministry of Justice in Chișinău.
This bilateral initiative has its roots in the promise of the former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Frans Timmermans (now right hand man of the President of the European Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker) to Moldova’s Prime Minister Mr Iurie Leancă in January 2014, to assist Moldova in the comprehensive reform of its justice sector.
The Netherlands Embassy in Bucharest facilitates the opportunity to assist by providing funds for rule of law projects. The Embassy also assisted in enabling a visit of the Moldovan Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) to the Netherlands earlier this month (on 3 and 4 November) to meet with the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary. As a result of this visit it was decided that two seminars will be organised in 2015 for the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Netherlands Council. These seminars will be funded by the Dutch Embassy and implemented by CILC and its partner organisation in Moldova – the Institute for Penal Reform.
The more detailed scope and themes of these seminars are being worked out. IRP and CILC expect that this initiative will reinforce the ties between the CSM and the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary and give an impetus to the discussion between judges of both our countries on issues that matter, for instance in the field of court administration, promotion of judges and disciplinary measures, quality assurance and the independence and responsibility of the judiciary.
At the same time CILC and its German partner organisation IRZ are exploring the opportunities of jointly assisting Moldova in modernising (parts of) the Moldovan civil code. There are preliminary discussions on structuring this assistance with the Netherlands Embassy in Bucharest and the legislative department in the Moldovan Ministry of Justice. Both CILC and IRZ have a strong track record in setting up expert working groups, organising consultations rounds on distinct parts of the civil code, and assisting in the development of legislative amendments.
CILC is looking very much forward to making this stepped-up cooperation a success!