The scientific-practical approach in the field of protection of minors’ rights consists of researching the phenomenon and international cooperation between different political, social, educational, judicial, forensic as well as investigative forces, with the aim of obtaining better knowledge of different experiences, and studying the fundamental rules of identification or improvement of the situation of minors in different realities, including through the harmonisation of national and community legislation.
The coordinator of the course, which was organised by the Criminalistic Association ASS.PE.93-CAMERA MINORILE, was the lawyer Antonino Centorrino, in cooperation with the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Section of the Republic of Moldova, under the patronage of the Bars of Messina, Barcelona PG, Patti and the Sicilian Bar.
The course on the study of rights of internationally recognised minors in different countries is a training project that proposes the specialisation of youth workers, the comparison between legislation and experiences in the field of different nations, for the best treatment of minors with deviant behaviour, socio-family members, or violators of the law.
One of the important questions of the conferences was how useful detention is for the rehabilitation and social reintegration of minors. This and other issues were the topics we tried to find answers to in the final stages of the training course.
The meetings on 23 June and 16 July 2021 in Messina, Italy, were attended by a delegation of the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Section of the Republic of Moldova composed of President Mihai Cebotari and First Vice President Gheorghe Gandrabur, following an invitation by Antonino Centorrino,
In his speech, the President of ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Moldova, Mihai Cebotari drew particular attention to internal and external migration, emphasising the enormous scale of this phenomenon, as well as the need to find new forms of recovery for deviant minors, as most of them enter the penitentiary circuit for minor crimes that leave them as potential perpetrators of more serious crimes.
The First Vice President of ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Moldova, Gheorghe Gandrabur, stressed the improvement of Moldova's domestic legislation and its harmonisation with European legislation on the protection of fundamental rights of minors, referring to Italy with the island of Lampedusa as the border gateway and entry point into Europe for minors, with distinct differences in language, race, religion, customs and rituals from those of European citizens, in addition to frequent uncertainty about their personal identity and age.
All aspects of the study can only be achieved through international cooperation, and for this reason, the current scientific project is gaining importance in international jurisprudence.
In addition, moving away from the often-depicted image of deviant minors as street children, Mr Gandrabur highlighted the primary right to family.
With great determination, Mr. Gheorghe Gandrabur also emphasised the importance of increased sanctions for the theft of minors' identities, essential for the fight against illicit organ trafficking, citing a recent case of abduction of ten children and moving them to Bulgaria for organ harvesting.
He also highlighted the growing concern of aggression as a symptom of extreme and growing social unrest, as well as sexual violence, including domestic violence, and called for the modernisation of legislation, including national legislation (taking into account cultural diversity).
Finally, the speaker emphasised the importance of the juvenile's right to justice.
At the end of the meeting, gifts were exchanged amongst the representatives.
This was followed by a visit to the Palace of Justice in Messina, and at the headquarters of the Bar Association, the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë delegation of the Republic of Moldova was received by the President of the Bar Association, Domenico Santoro, as well as advisers, with whom a bottle of champagne was opened from the famous Moldovan wine cellars, as a symbol of friendship.
The delegation was thereafter welcomed at the police headquarters in Messina, which was also honoured with a gift from the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Moldova delegation.
Further meetings will follow according to a calendar included in the programme.
Mihai Cebotari, President ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Moldova