Moldova fights crime, interference with PACCO merger
The project to create the new PACCO structure, by merging the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (PA) with the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS), has been sent to European partners for consultation.
Authorities have addressed the concerns of prosecutors regarding the continuity of ongoing investigations, announced Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, during a broadcast on TVR Moldova.
The phenomenon of organized crime and foreign interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Moldova, attacks on our security and on the main democratic exercise, namely elections and the electoral process, have shifted, and the instruments have changed significantly. The dangers are imminent, leading us to consolidate the capacities of the two specialized prosecutor's offices — we are referring to PCCOCS and PA — into a single institution.
According to the head of the legislature, the extraordinary evaluation process for judges and prosecutors continues, aiming to strengthen the independence of the judiciary. At the same time, the justice reform is irreversible, and transparency will remain a fundamental principle in managing this process.
Since the beginning of the evaluation process, I believe approximately 140 people, according to our calculations, have gone through this process. Some have withdrawn from the system, including the most notorious, whether they were annulling elections or issuing controversial decisions. Important figures from previous regimes, who had ties to politics, have decided to withdraw and not participate in this exercise. So, the process continues.
It is worth mentioning that the bill on the creation of the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (PACCO) was approved in the first reading on February 20, just one week after its registration in Parliament. The bill was supported by 61 deputies from the majority Action and Solidarity Party, while the opposition voted against it.
The bill on the creation of the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office was registered on January 12 in Parliament, and it was published one day later.
The initiative regarding the merger of PA and PCCOCS was announced by the Minister of Justice, Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, on January 29.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
