Key partners in anti-discrimination field from the Republic of Moldova met with the Council of Europe and European Union representatives and national experts to explore the latest findings and recommendations of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) for the Republic of Moldova. This exchange reviewed the progress made so far including in the context of the country’s EU accession, and delved into the multifaceted related challenges, for identifying opportunities for future cooperation to overcome remaining barriers.
Hallvard GORSETH, Director of Equal Rights and Dignity of the Council of Europe, highlighted that the Council of Europe standards are of real value when integrated into the law and practice of member states, and this is the reason why the work of the Council of Europe is based on strategic triangle that includes standard-setting, monitoring of current state of play and level of alignment of domestic frameworks with those standards, and identifying gaps to be addressed through technical cooperation and UE/CoE projects. In the end, this approach ensures the effective implementation of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe.
Discriminatory attitudes and behaviours in the Republic of Moldova must be actively challenged, to ensure that injustices are combatted, and the society is more inclusive and equitable for all, stated Falk LANGE, Head of the Council of Europe in Chisinau. This requires both legislative measures and societal transformation, together with shared commitment by all relevant parties to build “zero” tolerance towards all forms of discrimination.
Equality, inclusion and upholding the rights of minorities are at the heart of EU values, emphasized Corina MOCANU BONNIN, Representative of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova. EU in partnership with the Council of Europe, supports the Republic of Moldova as EU candidate country in promoting these values. The Enlargement report published on 4 November provides a comprehensive assessment of the progress achieved so far and of the work that remains to be done. EU will continue to support relevant stakeholders in the Republic of Moldova, including the Equality Council and People’s Advocate, to tackle all forms of discrimination and promote a society where everyone can reach their full potential.
Practical examples and the current situation in the field were shared by the representatives of state and non-state institutions attending the meeting, such as the General Police Inspectorate, Equality Council, People’s Advocate Office, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Justice, Audiovisual Council, Agency for Interethnic Relations, Police Academy, representatives of judiciary, and CSO activists.
Also, as part of the event, anti-racism policies and measures in EU-acceding countries within a recent comparative study, along with tailor-made recommendations for the Republic of Moldova, were presented. Furthermore, a new capacity-building opportunity for local stakeholders and legal professionals was introduced, namely the online training course on combating racism and racial discrimination, based on ECRI General Policy Recommendation N°7.
As concluded by participants, this event was another meaningful step in strengthening equality through continuous dialogue, shared commitment, and coordinated action for further improvements in the field.
This event is part of the programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project “Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova”, organised in synergy with the Council of Europe project “Enhancing diversity and equality in the Republic of Moldova - phase II”.
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