OW Alumni News

Open World, Open Minds: Moldovan Judges Receive Honors While Visiting the U.S.

Recently, the interim President of Moldova, Marian Lupu, recognized two of her country’s prestigious judges for distinguished service while the judges were in the U.S. learning about the American judicial system as participants on the Open World Program. Judges Nichifor Corochii and Dumitru Visternicean were in Raleigh, North Carolina, when they were informed that the Moldovan President had awarded Judge Corochii a medal for civic merit, and bestowed the honorary title of “Emeritus” on Judge Visternicean. The Open Word Program is a U.S. congressionally-funded initiative whose Rule of Law component seeks to strengthen relationships between the U.S. judiciary and the judiciaries of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and other Eurasian countries. American Councils for International Education oversees the logistics for the Open World program.

Judges Corochii and Visternicean are members of the Moldovan Superior Council of Magistracy, an entity responsible for the management of the Moldovan judicial system tasked with maintaining transparency, integrity, and efficacy in the Moldovan courts. The judges’ reputations as stewards of judicial integrity led to their nominations for participation in the Open World program. During their visit to the U.S., Judges Corochii, Visternicean, along with three other Moldovan judges, were hosted by the International Affairs Council of North Carolina and Justice Paul Newby in Raleigh, North Carolina.

While in Raleigh, the delegation of Moldovan judges had the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with U.S. judges and other representatives from North Carolina courts, law schools, and the State Bar Association. They discussed areas for future collaboration, such as using the North Carolina Bar Association’s International Law and Practice Section as an educational resource in Moldova.

As a direct result of their experience on the Open World program, Judges Corochii and Visternicean are taking steps to improve Moldova’s judicial system. Judge Corochii plans to train Supreme Court Judges on how to use Moldova’s new electronic system for filing cases. Judge Visternicean plans to organize a national conference on the integration of mediation, a form of alternative dispute resolution, into the Moldovan legal system.

Burduja Galina, the mayor of Lunga village and Open World Program Alumnus (Accountable Governance/ Mayors, 2007)

Burduja Galina, the mayor of Lunga village and Open World Program Alumnus (Accountable Governance/ Mayors, 2007) is selected as “2009 Best Alumna” at the 7th Congress of USA exchange programs alumni. The award has been offered to Mrs. Burduja for her significant contribution to community development in Moldova. The USA Ambassador to Moldova Asif J. Chaudhry mentioned during congress about the importance of such exchange programs having mission to contribute to mutual understanding between the two peoples: “Democratic values and freedoms of U.S. citizens must be shared with Moldovan citizens to contribute to Moldova's economic prosperity.” “I wasn’t ready for an award” stated Galina Burduja who proved herself to be among those alumni that try to communicate the U.S. experience to her community and considers the experience as very welcoming to Moldova, since “this is what makes people to succeed in  partnership.”

Recently she worked on community center restoration, the effort being celebrated with the opening ceremony on October 27, and later mediated on National TV “Moldova 1” as the best example in the country.

Recently she worked on community center restoration, the effort being celebrated with the opening ceremony on October 27, and later mediated on National TV “Moldova 1” as the best example in the country. The mayor of Lunga was making a lot of effort to convince the mayor house representatives and the regional district council on importance of the community center renovation that today is endowed with 2 rooms for festivities, a club for young people, and 2 offices with cabinets for the managing team. Now – the community center can provide all kinds of events, festivities and concerts to the Lunga village and its neighbors as well as welcome guests from abroad. The mayor house offered in-kind input that consisted of furniture and inventory - 61 thousand lei (5520.36USD) and the District Council did the same thing, helping with 470 thousand lei (4086.96 USD).

Among other Successes of Open World Alumna Galina Burduja dates from January 26, 2009 with the opening of the “Guguta” day care in Lunga village of Floresti region. The daycare was selected by the International Women Club of Moldova (IWCM) Grants committee to receive funds for their immediate needs. The majority of Lunga’s female population is composed of single mothers who could not work since there was no childcare center. The IWCM club’s representatives Natalya Kuzmina, Letty Beyer, Rosa Brunn, Davorka Whiteside, Inga Milosavljevic and President Marcie Lambsdorff participated in the festive entertainment program organized by the Mayor of Lunga village, Galina Burduja, as well as by regional official representatives, villagers, parents and day care staff.

The only renovated daycare in the village opened its doors for the first group of 23 children with ages 2 to 4. The daycare also has spacious rooms for one more group of older kids. In November 2008 the day care was in a state of disrepair, but today there are almost ideal conditions for children. It is important to note a mountain of efforts by parents and the daycare staff, working seven days a week for the last six months to make this daycare ready by January for Lunga’s little citizens. A touching performance of the first little “inhabitants” of Guguta day care was a real gift both for the parents and the guests. Smiling teachers, happy mothers and adorable kids were the most palpable proof to the significance of charity. Lunga's Guguta day care was evaluated by the regional official commission as the second best such institution in the entire Floresti region.

Prior to the daycare project, 2 host organization representatives from North Carolina visited Open World Delegates in Moldova. Suzanne Stafford and Maurine Jameson, as well as Olesea Fortuna – Open World Moldova Country Coordinator held a meeting with the International Women Club of Moldova in the “Codru” hotel about the experience of Open World Delegates in the USA and the importance of Program Sustainability, situation in Moldova and future prospects. Surprisingly, Galina Burduja, not knowing English, accessed the computer where she found call for applications within IWCM. Ever since, she believes that language is not a barrier, and that it is always important to have the goal and will to motivate the need of community.

Today, Mrs. Burduja is targeted on aqueduct construction. For more than 70 years, the inhabitants of the village Lunga, the district Floresti, continue to confront the grave problem of drinking water. After the groundwater has been polluted, the people get kerosene from their wells instead of water.

The concentration of kerosene in some wells from Lunga is so big that the inhabitants use buckets of this liquid to light the fire in their stoves. The inspector in chief of the Ecological Department from Floresti, Tamara Gutu, told that the ground water was polluted many years ago as a result of leakage. The pipe transported kerosene to the ex-air base from Marculesti. “It will take around one hundred years for the water to become clean in a natural way,” Tamara Gutu added.

The local authorities say that the inhabitants of the village are seriously affected by the deficiency of drinking water. According to the mayor of the locality, Galina Burduja, they need more than two million lei (180 995 USD) in order to build an aqueduct that would provide drinking water for the village. There are no funds in the local budget for this. It should be mentioned that the massive pollution of the water lead to the growth of infectious diseases.

Galina Burduja has been also invited as a guest speaker in front of 10 groups of Open World Delegates during their orientation session in Chisinau on the 23rd of September 2009. There she talked about USA experience, the projects she worked on and the partnerships she started with North Carolina. She confessed that it is important to keep all the business cards “alive” and communicate with host organization – a potential success to project development.

Among people she met in North Carolina, was Ray Smith - the mayor representative of Kernersville for Human Resources. She regretted to say that she lost his contacts and she desperately looks to find them later. She stated that the family she stayed with was eager and easy to communicate with. They could find different topics to discuss and could do this forever.

Another acquaintance in North Carolina was John Wolf – the city attorney who promised to make a relationship between schools of North Carolina and the school of Lunga.

To improve the knowledge of Lunga Community about American Culture, Mrs. Burduja is planning to invite a Peace Corps Volunteer to stay in the village for 2 years, as recommended by the Director of American Councils, David Jeese who had previously served as Peace Corps Volunteer in Moldova.
With a smile and enthusiasm, Mrs. Burduja said: “I am happy and honored to have such an award. I appreciate the U.S. Embassy attention towards the result of my work. This will motivate me to do even more for my community.”

7 of 36 people were selected in the same USA Program Exchange Alumni Congress as candidates to replace functions in the Board of Alumni American Council during the academic year 2009-2010. Among them, Open World Facilitator and Muskie Alumna Daniela Munca, was elected as the President of the Board, being also awarded with the best alumna of the year prize.

3,300 Moldovan students have traveled by now to America within the USA exchange programs.

After that, the ministry organized a competition for staff and appointed Zlatovcen Alexei as chief physician of the hospital, who was also physician in chief of the maternity N 2 in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The situation becomes extraordinary one - the institution having two Chiefs: The district council and the Ministry of Health. Each of them called one medical officer of their own. In the mornings, both leaders attended their office and gave instructions.

Hospital staff, disagreeing with the decision of the ministry, for several months, gathered to protest actions in the morning, asking Zlatovcen to leave his post. To mitigate the spirits, the former Minister of Health Larisa Catrinici, visited the hospital in Hincesti, with a lot of policemen. Taking her example, the new medical officer came to work together with police and security. The health workers and patients attended a sad theater of the absurd.

On friday, Petru Ciubotaru, (OW, 2008) the only physician in chief of the institution this time resumed to work, having all the right documents. He said he has corrected many errors of Zlatovcen. "I don't know the reason the Cardiology Department was liquidated, although the mortality due to cardiovascular disease is the first place. Works without financial coverage were also carried out, and now we have to resolve these issues, "said Peter Ciubotaru.

3. Your are a 2009 OW Alumna. Could you please tell us about this experience?

In 2009 I, indeed, had the opportunity to participate in the OW program. When I got to know that I was selected for the program, I was very happy, because visiting USA was one of my dreams. I was interested in finding out the way of functioning of the US Local Public Administrations. It was an amazing exchange of experience and I can definitely state that OW is a very well prepared and qualified program. I consider that American Councils is doing its job in a very transparent and objective manner, as the process of selection of the participants was a fair one. During our visit in USA we had a full agenda and we interacted with a very well prepared group which has proved our expectations. A lot of meetings with the local authorities were organized. At the Library of Congress we held a meeting with the officials coming from US Ministries, during which the Ministry of Finance provided us with information related to the successful local budget management. Besides this, we met the Former Ambassador of USA in Moldova, visited Washington DC and after that the city of Columbus in Ohio.

4. How do you consider, does OW have an impact in the society?

I believe that forming a bigger Local Governance Group is going to bring a major contribution to the management quality of the Local Public Administrations in Moldova. My statement is based on the fact that in US we have seen management models that are helping us very much in our present activity in Moldova. One of the best ideas that I liked while visiting the US municipalities was the community police, which I am willing to implement in Moldova.
One of the outcomes of the OW project is the establishment of the CALM association by the 2009 Alumnae. It is bringing together mayors from the country's Local Authorities, which are aiming at protecting their communities' interests.

5. Tell us please about CALM, why did you consider it necessary to be set up?
It is well known that various mayors' associations are functioning in our republic. Unfortunately, the major parts are not functional, and are not representing the interests of the local authorities. That is why we decided to form an association at a national level, which would unite the Local Authorities of the I and II level. On the 21st of March, 2010, the general assembly of the association took place. The Association involves 300 localities, including the Association of the Women Mayors, Association of the District Presidents and the National League of the Mayors of Moldova. Our most important aim is to establish a productive dialogue with the Central Authorities.

6. How can the society contribute to the achievement of the CALM's goals?
The civil society could offer its support as the Moldovan Legislation is confusing sometimes; lots of official acts are contradicting one another and don't have a clear mechanism of implementation. We consider that together with the civil society and the NGO's we could propose to the Government and the Parliament the modification of some articles and acts that don't work or have to be improved. Only being united we can obtain tangible results and a functional law.

7. How do you combine family with your mayor position, and with the recent position of the CALM President?
My job position and my activity in CALM require a lot of time and commitment. But I am lucky to have a family that offers me a lot of support and understands that this is my vocation. My free time is totally dedicated to my family and I try to give them my entire love and attention.

8. What would be your message to the future OW participants?
First of all I would like to congratulate those who will be nominated and will participate in this project. It is a unique opportunity and I suggest them after returning home to be as active as possible in their work, in order to promote and implement the experience gathered in US. Our target is to encourage the democratic changes in Moldova through using in practice the knowledge gained in USA.
Another message that I have is for the American Councils team. I want to congratulate you for your daily hard work invested in the project. You are real professionals and your desire for a continuous improvement and maintaining of the relationship with the Alumnae is admirable. We have a strong collaboration with the American Councils that offers useful information about different projects and trainings, in this way maintaining the sustainability of our US experience. I wish you good luck in all your activities.