On 24 March, ICMPD organised a workshop for Moldovan stakeholders in the framework of the project “Development of a Forced-Return Monitoring System in the Republic of Moldova” (FReMM) to present them with the EU good practices on monitoring forced returns and identify elements applicable to the country’s context. The workshop gathered representatives from the Moldovan Bureau for Migration and Asylum, People’s Advocates Office of Moldova, the NGO Law Centre of Advocates, as well as ICMPD project and expert team. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the project team organized the workshop remotely.
Forced-return monitoring is aimed at documenting human rights compliance during the removal with a view to increase transparency and accountability in the removal process where human rights of returnees could be at stake. The Republic of Moldova has currently no legislative and procedural framework regulating the monitoring of the forced-return operations to and from the country. The objective of the workshop was to present the Report on Good Practices/Experiences on monitoring forced returns in the EU Member States and inform the setting-up of such monitoring system. The Report, developed based on a thorough gaps and needs analysis conducted by ICMPD within the Forced-Return Monitoring III project (FReM III), is comparing the legal systems, actors and procedures in the EU, and is to help identify jointly any replicable practices for the Moldovan context.
The Workshop triggered discussions among national stakeholders on various aspects such as the future institutional and legislative framework, funding options, training system, the standard profile of the monitor, monitors’ deployment, the monitoring process and guidelines, access to returnees, monitoring reports and their follow-up. Participants will continue these consultations in line with the FReMM work plan throughout the project implementation, especially for the immediately following activities concerning proposed legislative amendments and appointment of an independent monitoring body.
The FReMM project is supporting the relevant stakeholders to (1) reinforce the legal framework and mandate of the monitoring bodies, (2) establish monitoring guidelines and a sustainable framework for the monitoring bodies with clear division of responsibilities, (3) provide relevant training to the monitoring bodies and return enforcing institutions, and (4) enhance the legal grounds and procedural mechanisms for proper communication and coordination among the monitoring bodies and return enforcing institution. The project is implemented by ICMPD, and is funded by the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration.