OREANDA-NEWS. Prime Minister Pavel Filip, on a visit to Strasbourg, has had a meeting with the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for Moldova Valentina Leskaj and Egidijus Vareikis.

The sides exchanged opinions on the follow-up process since the last monitoring visit to Moldova by PACE co-rapporteurs on 27-29 June 2016. The officials also tackled subjects on the justice reform, prosecution reform, fighting corruption and money laundering, prevention and combating the trafficking of human beings, promotion of anti-discrimination, ensuring the independence of the banking sector and mass media, including with the support of CoE projects.

Another topic tackled at the meeting was focused on the draft on amendment of the electoral system. In this respect, the prime minister informed that the Venice Commission’s recommendations on this document were considered thoroughly and would be taken into account to improve the draft.

Also, the sides set expectations for the next visit due in 2017 and a calendar of presentation and adoption of the country report at PACE during 2018. According to the Prime Minister, a central goal in the cooperation with CoE remains the ending of the procedure of Moldova’s monitoring by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, with the priority included in the Moldovan government’s action programme and the action plan for 2016-2018.