Proposed PACCO merger threatens to destabilize anti-corruption efforts, LRCM report finds
The proposed creation of the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (PACCO) through the merger of Moldova’s specialized units lacks sufficient justification. It risks undermining the fight against high-level corruption, according to a recent analysis by the Legal Resources Centre from Moldova (LRCM).
The LRCM report highlights that the project lacks predictability and institutional stability. Experts recommend that authorities abandon the merger of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (PA) and the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS).
Instead, the analysis suggests focusing on strengthening existing structures through adequate resources and inter-institutional cooperation. This follows a critical opinion issued by the Venice Commission in December 2025, which echoed months of warnings from civil society and legal professionals.
A reform failing the necessity test
The primary issue is not the impossibility of reform, but that the current proposal fails the tests of necessity and predictability. The Venice Commission questioned the internal logic of the PACCO project, noting it does not prove that institutional architecture is the root cause of current deficiencies.
Evidence suggests that existing weaknesses in the anti-corruption fight stem from a lack of capacity and resources rather than the separation of competencies between PA and PCCOCS. Furthermore, while the PA operates with limited staff, international indicators show positive performance trends.
Risks of prosecutor demotivation and lack of funding
A significant concern involves the impact on personnel. The Venice Commission warned of "de facto demotions" and professional insecurity for prosecutors. This risk is heightened as staff are already undergoing an external integrity evaluation (vetting) process.
"If an extraordinary integrity check exists, it must be used consistently, not replaced by improvised procedures," the LRCM warns. Additionally, the project lacks a clear financial assessment, rendering it a "political aspiration rather than an administrative roadmap."
The LRCM proposes two paths: either a total rewrite of the PACCO project with clear cost estimates and personnel guarantees, or—the safer institutional option—maintaining and empowering the current specialized offices with the autonomy requested by international partners.
The PACCO initiative, which passed its first parliamentary reading on February 20, 2025, continues to face scrutiny for its lack of consultation and potential risk to sensitive ongoing investigations.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
