International Cooperation
The Republic of Moldova continues to participate in the actions, initiatives and projects in the field of prevention and combating of corruption (Group of States Against Corruption, Stability Pact for the South-Eastern Europe, etc.) and cooperates with the European Union under the Agreement of Partnership and Cooperation (APC). The Republic of Moldova has ratified other international acts, has concluded numerous biand multilateral agreements onthe prevention and combating of corruption.
In order to optimize the anticorruption activity it is necessary to attract funds and implement advanced practices that are currently employed by the developed countries.
Manifestation of corruption in its multiple and complex forms has determined the involvement of the Republic of Moldova into numerous initiatives and workgroups of regional and international levels in order to employ the high democratic standards for the prevention of this phenomenon.
An important role in the supervision of international legal instruments is played by the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). In the year 2006 began the cycle of evaluation of Moldova’s anti-corruption process and at the 30th Plenary Meeting of GRECO held on 13 th October 2006 was approved the Evaluation Report. The Report included 15 recommendations for the Republic of Moldova to be implemented and reported on by 31 st May 2008.
The Republic of Moldova is represented at GRECO by the General Prosecutor’s Office, CCECC and Ministry of Justice.
CCECC represents the Republic of Moldova at the activities of the Anti-Corruption Initiative of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe (SPAI), of the MONEYVAL Committee, of the Euro-Asiatic Group FATF, EGMONT group, etc.
The experts of GRECO, SPAI, MONEYVAL and other bodies have elaborated a set of recommendations for the adjustment of the country’s legal and institutional framework to the European standards. The recommendations related to the National Strategy for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption and its Action plan for the year 2005 were approved during the round table held in November 2004 and were fully implemented by the CCECC.
The national authorities have examined the recommendations of the mission of PACO-Impact Moldova experts on the review of competences in the performance of criminal prosecution in cases of corruption crimes by the state authorities, elaborated based on the results of the Workshop „Delimitation of competence of law enforcement authorities involved in the prevention and combating of corruption”, organized by the CCECC with the support from the Council of Europe, under he Project PACO-Impact Moldova.
A review of the subsequent legislative reforms was performed with an analysis of the financing of political parties and election campaigns and in result efficient mechanisms of their monitoring by the mass-media and governmental organs were identified. Determination of criminal responsibility for the bribing of electors in the election campaigns and responsibility before the nation for political activity has become another achievement.
In the same context, there was conducted the Conference on the theme „Standards of the European Council in the electoral sphere and financing of political parties” with participation of experts from the Council of Europe, CCECC, other state authorities, political parties and civil society. On 12 May 2005 under the auspices of SPAI in Brussels was signed the Declaration of 10 measures for eradicating corruption in the South-Eastern Europe intended to catalyze the anti-corruption initiatives in the region. As a follow-up activity, the CCECC has organized the Round Table on the theme „Promulgation of 10 measures for eradicating corruption in the South-Eastern Europe at national level”. During that Round table, there were discussed the opportunities of civil promulgation of the Declaration and of the national implementation standards with participation of the central public officers, law enforcement organs, NGOs, public associations, members of the Monitoring Group of the Implementation of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption, as well as the press and TV.
This Round Table has allowed to elaborate a draft Resolution with Common Recommendations for the Implementation of the 10 measures above mentioned. The recommendations for Moldova set out in the SPAI Final Report of 30.04.2002 and the Declaration that provides the reduction of corruption by means of public sector and judiciary reforms are implemented in a series of strategic programs, such as the National Program RM-EU, National Anti-Corruption Strategy, SCERS, etc.
The experience obtained in the process of international exchange of experience and opinions have positively contributed to the Action Plan for the years 2006 – 2007 approved by the Initiative’s Coordinative Committee, according to which the Republic of Moldova will work upon the implementation of activities identified in the Ministerial Declaration adopted in Brussels, respectively: Activity no.3 (updating of the anti-corruption strategy in order to incorporate the standards set out in the international anti-corruption conventions and the general principles and specific recommendations issued by the institutions of the European Union and GRECO); Activity no. 6 (consolidation of bilateral and multilateral cooperation and of the exchange of information at the operational level between the anti-corruption structures of the South-Eastern Europe); Activity no. 9 (elaboration and dissemination of public awareness raising campaigns aimed at prevention and combating of corruption in the vulnerable sectors and institutions).
In October 2006 in Beijing (China) during the first Annual Conference and General Assembly was founded the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities meant to promote the efficient implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption. At the proposal of the Secretariat of this organization the CCECC was accepted as an initiatory organizational member of the International Association of Anti-CorruptionAuthorities.
Also, CCECC has signed agreements and memorandums of understanding with the services for the prevention and control of money laundering and financing of terrorism with many countries: on the 6th September 2005 in Chisinau was signed the Memorandum of Understanding between CCECC and the National Office for the Prevention and Control of Money Laundering of Romania in order to collaborate in the field of combating the legalization (“laundering”) of income originating from illicit activities; later, on 23 rd September 2005 in Chisinau was signed the Memorandum of Collaboration between the CCECC and the Korean Republic’s Service in the field of combating the legalization (“laundering”) of income originating from illicit activities.
In order to collaborate in the field of combating financial crimes and infringements of other kinds, on 27 th September 2005 in Vilnius was signed the Collaboration Agreement between the CCECC and the Service for Financial Crimes Investigations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
On 29 th September 2005 in Tallinn was signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the CCECC and the Office of Money Laundering Information of the Republic of Estonia in order to facilitate cooperation in the exchange of information in the field of money laundering, financing of terrorism, adjacent crimes and in order to combat the legalization (“laundering”) of income obtained from illicit activity.
On 09th June 2006 in Chisinau was signed the Memorandum of Collaboration between the CCECC and the Financial Intelligence Agency of Bulgaria, while on 14 .12 .2006 was concluded a similar Agreement between CCECC and the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring (Russian Federation).
The parties have agreed on cooperation, including by exchange of information related to the collection, processing and analysis of data, on the operations with money and other values and goods under suspicion of being obtained in the result of legalization („laundering”) of income obtained from illicit activities and exchange of information on the physical persons and legal entities involved in such operations.
Based on the provisions of the Agreement signed by the members of the Community of Independent States on the collaboration and mutual assistance in the matters of fiscal legislation and control of money laundering signed in Minsk on the 4th June 199 , given the common desire to consolidate and develop the practical cooperation in the eradication of illegal traffic of excised goods, in Astana on the 22 nd September 2006 was signed the Protocol of Collaboration between the CCECC and the Department of Financial Investigations under the State Control Committee of the Republic of Byelorussia.
On the 14 th November 2006, in Chisinau, there was signed the Memorandum of Collaboration between the CCECC and the State Financial Monitoring Committee of Ukraine regarding the collaboration in the field of combating the legalization (laundering) of income obtained from illicit economic activity and financing of terrorism. The parties will cooperate by exchange of information according to the provisions of memorandum and within the prescribed competence, with due observation of legislation in force and international obligations. In the next month, on 14th December 2006, there was signed the Agreement between the CCECC and the Department of Financial Monitoring of the State Committee of the Republic of Byelorussia regarding the collaboration in the field of combating the legalization („laundering”) of the incomes obtained from illicit activity and financing of terrorism. Under this theme, on 21 st February 2007, there was signed the Memorandum of Collaboration between the CCECC and the Financial Monitoring Service of Georgia. The Republic of Moldova was represented by the officers of law enforcement authorities in the numerous international anti-corruption activities, seminars, conferences, meetings.
One may note the common event organized for the anti-corruption investigators and prosecutors of the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Lithuania organized by the SPAI RSLO in partnership with CCECC on the theme „Detection, investigation and referral of high level corruption cases to justice”.
All these measures are aimed to contribute to the consolidation of moral and combat qualities of the entire staff of the Center, an efficient catalyst in the activity of combating the economic-financial criminality and corruption.
