The process of adjusting Moldovan legislation to international norms lacks transparency, a Council of Europe report says. The CE experts suggest the official Chisinau to intensify the cooperation with European experts.

“Moldovan authorities must take into consideration and follow the CE experts’ recommendations, as well as to present the Council of Europe in due time the texts of the bills they intends to pass, especially those that are within CE’s competence,” the report reads. The Council of Europe has even shown willingness to assign an expert in legislation that would permanently work within the Moldovan Ministry of Justice in order to ensure the quality of Moldovan laws.

The way the Moldovan legal system works and the high level of non-observed court decisions that include also ECHR decisions worry Strasbourg. The official Chisinau must pay special attention to these issues and to hasten the setting up of the National Institute of Justice, the authors of the document say.

Another unsolved issue is the reform of the audiovisual sector, CE experts say. “The delayed reform of the audiovisual sector demands continuous attention, especially the Audiovisual Coordinating Council and the transformation of Teleradio Moldova into a really public institution,” the report reads.

The document was worked out on the basis of the CE representatives’ conclusions drawn up after the visit to Moldova in September 2005. Director of the Strategic Planning Directorate Jean Louis Laurens, Adviser at the Directorate General of Politics Uwe Muller and the Administrator of the Directorate of Strategic Planning Leyla Zeinalova met in Chisinau numerous officials, among which Speaker Marian Lupu, Premier Vasile Tarlev, Deputy Foreign Minister Eugenia Kistruga, Minister of Information Development Vladimir Molojen, Minister of Justice Victoria Iftodi, Minister of Reintegration Vasile Sova.

The Report of the Council of Europe is to be examined on January 11, at the meeting of the Committee of CE Deputy Foreign Ministers.