Today, May 23, 2024, at the National Institute of Justice, the President of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Siofra O'Leary, held a public lesson, which was attended by NIJ trainees and trainers, as well as by other representatives of the legal system and experts in the field. The topic of the event was Protocol No. 16 to the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), which entered into force in the Republic of Moldova on October 1, 2023, thus marking a significant step in strengthening the protection of fundamental rights in our country.
In the opening, spoke Adrian Cerbu, the Ad interim Director of the NIJ, Diana Rotundu, President of the NIJ Council, Dumitru Obada, President of the Superior Council of Prosecutors, and Diana Sarcu, Judge at the ECtHR on behalf of the Republic of Moldova. „NIJ, as a legal training institution, is committed to integrating European norms and values in the training of legal professionals. In this regard, today's event is a unique opportunity, especially for our trainees, to understand, from the first source, the impact and importance of Protocol No. 16 of the Convention, which opens new ways of collaboration between national courts and the European Court of Human Rights. By becoming judges and prosecutors, they will play a key role in the implementation of these rules in the national judicial practice”, said in his speech Adrian Cerbu, Ad interim Director of the NIJ.
The President of the Strasbourg Court spoke about the implications and value of Protocol No. 16 to the ECHR, which facilitates cooperation between the Constitutional Courts and the Supreme Courts of the member states of the Council of Europe and the ECtHR. Thus, this protocol provides the possibility for national courts to request advisory opinions on the interpretation or application of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the ECHR. The event offered trainees a unique opportunity to interact with the high representative of European justice and to familiarize themselves with the effects of this legal instrument aimed at preventing possible state convictions at the Strasbourg Court and ensuring a higher level of protection of human rights for citizens. During the question and answer session, topics regarding the reason for rejection by the ECtHR of requests for advisory opinions, as well as, the duration of the procedure for issuing them according to the categories of applications, how the impact of advisory opinions is assessed, the ratification by a few CoE member states of Protocol 16, etc., were addressed.
The public lesson was preceded by the official meeting between the ad Interim Director of the NIJ and the officials of the European Court of Human Rights. During the discussions, was emphasized the importance of promoting and protecting human rights in legal training activities addressed in particular to future judges and prosecutors who will play a key role in the application of European rules in national judicial practice.
