On the afternoon of Thursday, October 23, 2025, the Director of the National Institute of Justice, Ramona Strugariu, welcomed the new Council of Europe Project Manager for “Support to justice reform in the Republic of Moldova”, Monica Martinez. The visit – the first of its kind to the Institute – aimed to establish professional relations and discuss prospects for future cooperation.
During the meeting, the Council of Europe’s ongoing support for the activities of the National Institute of Justice was reconfirmed. The discussions focused on opportunities for cooperation in the area of initial and continuous training of judges and prosecutors, through programs aligned with the Rule of Law Roadmap and the priorities related to Moldova’s EU accession process.
A distinct topic addressed was the implementation status of the recommendations issued by the TAIEX mission, most of which have already been fulfilled. The NIJ management emphasized the need for essential legislative adjustments, including the recognition of the Institute as the sole entry point into the professions of judge and prosecutor, ensuring predictability of employment for graduates, and revising the duration of the NIJ training program in line with the standards of European judicial training institutions.
The discussions also reviewed the ongoing cooperation on organizing training sessions in EU law, the process of developing the institutional development strategy, and the outcomes of the recent workshop dedicated to defining NIJ’s strategic and operational objectives in accordance with its values, mission, and vision. It was also noted that the Council of Europe will support the development of the communication strategy of the National Institute of Justice.
The meeting was also attended by Ecaterina Popa, Head of the Training and Research Department, Alina Terentii, Senior Project Coordinator, and Ana Ciobanu, Project Assistant.
