On the evening of march 10, 2020, the Ministry of home Affairs has published a Draft amending and supplementing the Regulation on organization and functioning of the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (ANITP), who proposed a series of changes, including the responsibility for the PUBLIC to monitor and evaluate the work done in the field of the fight against trafficking in human beings by non-governmental organisations (Art. 2 (1) and Art. 10 (c). These changes are to complete the implementation of the Judgment of the 84/2018 for the modification and completion of the Government's Decision no. 460/2011 on the organization and functioning of the National Agency Against Trafficking in human Beings, which provides for the monitoring and evaluation of NGOS to the PUBLIC.
A group Independent of the Work Against Trafficking in human Beings and smuggling of Migrants (THB-WG) was submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of yesterday, march 19, 2020, a letter with recommendations on how to remove the provisions on the monitoring and evaluation of the activities of non-governmental organisations from the PUBLIC, and the request for appointment to the role of the national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, a mechanism that is independent and PUBLIC in accordance with the recommendations of international organizations.
In addition, it is Independent of the Work Against Trafficking in human Beings and smuggling of Migrants (THB-WG) and 12 other NGOS are active in the fight against trafficking in human beings, having regard to the proposal that these changes will affect the work of the NGO, has urged the Ministry of home Affairs to postpone the adoption of such a law in order to perform a real public debate, with the participation of the civil society, to discuss the new proposals, as well as the change in HG 84/2018 for the removal of the provisions referred to above.
Therefore, in the opinion of the non-governmental organisations active in the fight against trafficking in human beings, this project is out of Order, along with the HG 84/2018, is a good reason for concern, because it is aimed directly at limiting and controlling the work of the institution to the public, a clear act of intimidation and censorship and the violation of democratic values.
Non-governmental organizations are in absolute shock that for a time in the Usa is faced with a dramatic situation due to the outbreak of COVID-19, and the majority of the state is focused on the fight against the pandemic, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, they take the time to continue the efforts of the previous governments for the control of non-governmental organizations, staff, effective, and valuable in the fight against trafficking in human beings. These arrangements were condemned by the government, when he was in the opposition as anti-democratic, and, in fact, “one-act masque of no-confidence to the address of the non-governmental organizations”.
NGOS hope that the situation of emergency, when there is a risk of the limitation of human rights, the government must show a genuine interest for the defence and protection of democratic values, and to work specifically with the civil society and the maintenance of the legal framework in which these values are to be protected.
Contact person: Silvia Tăbușcă, silvia.tabusca@ecler.org
Release supported by:
1. The association of the Centre for Advocacy and Human Rights
2. The foundation of the Agency for the Development of the Community Together
3. The Association Of WorldTeach
4. The Women's association for research in Italy
5. The Foundation Of The Freedom House Romania
6. The Foundation Of The Open Door
7. The Foundation Of ReachingOut
8. The Association Of The Value-Addition
9. The Association Of The Cultural, Social, Economic Christiana
10. The association of the European monitoring Centre for Education and Research on Legal
11. The association for Solidarity for Freedom of Conscience
12. The association of Jesuit Refugee Service in the Usa
13. The group Independent of the Work Against Trafficking in human Beings and smuggling of Migrants (THB-WG)