Moldova's European Integration Progress in 2011: An Assessment

In particular, the monitoring covered the implementation by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova of political reforms (protection and realisation of human rights; independent and efficient justice; governance reform and the fight against corruption; Transnistrian settlement) and of the economic reforms necessary to launch negotiations on establishing a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the European Union.

The experts found the following developments by area:

Protection and realisation of human rights: The human rights situation remained problematic in 2011, despite the adoption of several normative acts and action plans on the protection of human rights. Torture and ill-treatment, discrimination and domestic violence remained the most widespread human rights violations. The main causes of the non-observance and violation of human rights remain: the lack of effective mechanisms for enforcing existing legislation and for investigating/sanctioning cases of human rights violations, corruption among public officials and law enforcement bodies, the politicisation of state institutions, and the low level of awareness of the importance of human rights among the agents responsible for enforcing the legislation (law enforcement representatives, judges). Positive developments were recorded in ensuring freedom of conviction and religious freedom, and the right to assembly. Contrary to its commitments, the Republic of Moldova again failed in 2011 to adopt the anti-discrimination law.

Independent and efficient justice: The justice reforms did not produce positive results, as perceived either by public opinion or by representatives of the judicial system. Trust in justice continued to decline, views on the reforms promoted in the system were not consensual and did not gain broad support. Justice in the Republic of Moldova is still not perceived as independent or fully efficient.

Governance reform and the fight against corruption: The progress of the Central Public Administration (CPA) reform in 2011 is shown by the drafting, adoption and implementation of legislative and normative acts, adopted in the reference period or earlier. The main problems of the CPA remained the same and relate to the lack of comprehensive strategic documents, the continued politicisation of public institutions and the lack of progress in depoliticising them.

Progress in combating corruption is linked to the implementation of new strategic documents in the field and the promotion of new legislative and normative regulations, in line with international standards and recommendations. The lack of severe sanctions for corruption offences creates a phenomenon of impunity and has no preventive effect. The delay of reforms in certain structures (CCCEC, Ministry of Internal Affairs, justice, prosecution) continues to fuel public opinion about the high level of corruption within law enforcement bodies.

Transnistrian settlement

The main and most tangible result of 2011 in the Transnistrian settlement process was the resumption of official negotiations in the “5+2” format. Another remarkable event was the change of the top elite in the Transnistrian region following the region's presidential elections. The two events open new, unprecedented prospects for sustainable progress in settling the conflict, which may be undermined by political instability in the Republic of Moldova. The rulers' inability to elect the head of state risks leading to an extremely dangerous handicap: the legitimacy of the internationally recognised authority is contested by the opposition, while the unrecognised authority in the Transnistrian region enjoys internal legitimacy and international sympathy.

Implementation of EU recommendations for establishing the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA):

In 2011, developments in economic and trade relations with the EU were, overall, positive. At the same time, the experts consider that reforms could have been implemented faster. The best results were achieved in Financial Services, while areas of critical importance for trade development, such as Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Trade Facilitation and Customs Administration, recorded moderate progress. The systemic problems that negatively affect Moldova's implementation of the European Commission's recommendations and limit its room for manoeuvre in the DCFTA negotiations are: the training of personnel involved in negotiations, especially at sector level, ineffective coordination at policy level, and the weak budgetary reflection of European integration policy as a whole.

The full version of the publication “Euromonitor” no. 22, as well as previous editions, are available on the websites www.e-democracy.md and www.expert-grup.org.

The event and the report were carried out with the financial support of the Soros Foundation-Moldova, within the project “EU-Moldova Relations – Monitoring Progress in the Context of the Eastern Partnership”.