A delegation of the National Institute of Justice, consisting of representatives from the NIJ, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Law Center of Lawyers, were on a study visit to Malta in April 17-18, 2024, having a series of meetings at judicial and European institutions. The purpose of this visit was to initiate an exchange of experiences and best practices between the competent authorities of the Republic of Moldova and Malta, mainly in the field of migration and asylum.
On the first day, the delegation visited the Judicial Studies Committee (JSC), where got familiar with the work of the JSC and the courts, being presented in detail the relevant asylum and migration procedures from a criminal and civil perspective. In particular, NIJ representatives were interested in the training programs of justice professionals on the four dimensions: initial training, continuous training, distance training and training of trainers.
There was also organized a meeting with exponents of non-governmental organizations in Malta to discuss legal assistance provided, on a voluntary basis, to refugees, as well as the problems faced by them.
Next, the NIJ delegation visited the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) to learn about EUAA's activities and operational support in the field of asylum. At the same time, issues related to the functioning of the EUAA training and professional development Center and the support that members of the courts can benefit through the practical guides and tools developed by the Agency were discussed. The EUAA representatives showed their openness for the use of these resources by professionals from the Republic of Moldova, as well as for their participation in the training sessions organized within the EJTN network.
The study visit of the NIJ delegation is part of the Council of Europe Project „Strengthening the human rights protection of refugees and migrants in the Republic of Moldova”, implemented in the framework of the CoE Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova for 2021-2024 and carried out in accordance with the CoE Action Plan on the protection of vulnerable persons in the context of migration and asylum in Europe (2021-2025), coordinated by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Migration and Refugees.
