VZCZCXRO4463
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHCH #1354 3170722
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130722Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5908
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CHISINAU 001354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, EUR/PGI, G-ACBLANK, G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL SMIG MD
SUBJECT: TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT:  SOME PROGRESS, BUT STILL NO 
PROSECUTIONS OF SENIOR OFFICIALS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
REF: STATE 146300 
 
¶1. (U) Post's interim assessment for EUR Special Watchlist countries 
is keyed to the questions in reftel para. 6B. 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to the Center for Combating Trafficking in 
Persons (CCTIP), Government of Moldova (GOM) authorities opened 429 
cases against traffickers (a 7.7% rise over the same period in 
2006), comprising 223 trafficking in persons, 35 trafficking in 
children, 125 pimping, and 46 illegal-migration cases.  In the same 
period, 103 persons were convicted of trafficking offenses:  27 for 
trafficking in persons, 6 for trafficking in children, 66 for 
pimping, two for organizing illegal migration, and two for 
organizing begging.  Of these 103, 34 were imprisoned, 62 were 
fined, and the rest were given suspended sentences or amnestied.  No 
details of sentences, or of the offenses for which the convicted 
were imprisoned, were given.  The GOM has made no progress in 
prosecuting senior officials allegedly complicit in trafficking in 
persons. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Lacking an official head (who must by law be a Deputy Prime 
Minister or higher), the National Committee on anti-trafficking 
efforts is not fully meeting its responsibilities to plan and 
implement the National Action Plan (NAP) on Preventing Trafficking 
in Persons.  For instance, the GOM made no report on the 2005-2007 
implementation of the NAP, and its activities have been limited to 
organizing meetings and seminars.  The draft of an updated NAP, 
which was completed in August by various GOM agencies with NGO 
input, has not yet been submitted to Parliament.  According to our 
contacts, increased funding for NAP implementation has been cleared 
by the Ministry of Finance, but specific amounts have not been 
revealed. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The GOM has increased in-kind contributions, such as 
premises, and staff from other ministries have been seconded to the 
Ministry of Social Protection, Family, and Child (MinSPFC).  MinSPFC 
established National Referral Service pilot programs in five 
districts (raions) in June 2006.  The pilot program has brought 
together local authorities and NGOs to provide assistance to 130 
trafficking victims between June 2006 and October 2007 in the five 
pilot raions.  From August through October 2007, 20 victims from six 
other districts were assisted by new centers.  Direct budgetary 
support from the GOM pays the salaries of 547 social workers, who 
provide services to victims and potential victims.  The Chisinau 
Rehabilitation Center, run by the International Organization of 
Migration to provide social assistance to victims of trafficking, 
was built on land donated by the Ministry of Health.  The GOM has 
not increased monetary contributions for victim assistance and 
protection. 
 
¶5. (SBU) We have no evidence that the GOM has proactively identified 
trafficking victims by vigorously investigating allegations of 
trafficking and interviewing potential victims for indications of 
trafficking. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Most of our contacts in the GOM and the NGO community note 
that no victims of trafficking have been arrested for prostitution, 
and that police, through the efforts of authorities and of NGOs, 
have been sensitized to the issue.  We have heard anecdotal reports 
of victims being threatened with charges by low-ranking police 
officers, but no reports that these threats have been carried out. 
 
 
KIRBY