A More ‘Optimistic’ Report
It began with presenting all of the related normative acts, revealing that “the state follows a set plan concerning the legislation.” However, in the last 60 days the government was supposed to mention other measures, aside from the legislative ones for fighting human trafficking. “I don’t want to highlight the problem’s negative aspects, so I will try to speak about the positive things done,” specified Deputy Prime Minister Victor Stepaniuc.
A strong point that the committee’s president was eager to mention was the co-working with NGOs and international bodies. This report was a positive one and is sincerely presented with the purpose of identifying drawbacks.” At the meeting, Stepaniuc mentioned many times the seven children illegally taken to Italy and those illegally taken to Romania “in the context of the well-known practice of fake contracts studies.”
When he was asked who the authority in charge of solving the case was and when it is going to happen, “in one year, in three or in 100 years,” the audience went quiet for a couple of minutes. After that, minister Valentin Mejinschi posed the question to the General Prosecutor’s Office and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. The Prosecutor’s Office promised on the spot that it will undertake all the necessary measures.
An IMO expert wanted to specify during the meeting that there was confusion between human trafficking and illegal migration. Stepaniuc made it clear that he valued the IMO support for Moldova but “at this moment you must really help us in bringing these children home because you are more competent and know better how things are.”
