[10/05/07 09:00] Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg visited Moldova for a contact mission on 8-9 May. The Commissioner held talks with state authorities, in particular the Chairman of the Parliament Marian Lupu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Stratan, Minister of Justice Vitalie Pirlog, Minister of Reintegration Vasilii Sova, Minister of Education and Youth Victor Tvircun and Deputy Minister of the Interior Igor Bodorin.
The Commissioner also held meetings with representatives of civil society and the Ombudspersons ("parliamentary advocates"). Moreover, he visited Penitentiary Institution n°4 in Cricova, and a pre-trial detention centre in Chisinau. The visit focused on the human rights situation, with a view to evaluating both positive developments and recent shortcomings.