ICC-CPI-20110211-PR627

The International Criminal Court (ICC) held a ceremony on 11 February 2011 at the seat of the Court in The Hague to welcome the Republic of Moldova as the 114^th State Party to the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty.

During the ceremony, ICC President Sang-Hyun Song presented the Ambassador of Moldova, H.E. Mr Mihai Gribincea, with a special edition of the Rome Statute, as a symbol of their joint commitment to the rule of law.

ICC President Song acknowledged that ratifying such an important treaty is “not a simple undertaking”, and thanked those who worked hard to make it happen. “I sincerely hope that Moldova’s decision to ratify the Rome Statute will inspire other countries to do the same”, he added.

Commending Moldova’s decision, the Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties and Ambassador of Mexico, H.E. Mr Jorge Lomónaco, stated that countries ratifying the Rome Statute send “a strong message to the international community to further strengthen its efforts to ensure that the most heinous crimes should be investigated and justice dispensed”.

Ambassador Gribincea expressed Moldova’s commitment to the ICC, saying: “The ICC represents an important milestone in the efforts of the international community to safeguard the rights of the weak from across the world, as it represents not only an effective instrument for doing justice, but also an instrument for the encouragement of peace”.

The ceremony was held in the presence of the Second Vice-President of the Court, Judge Hans-Peter Kaul, Judge Erkki Kourula, Judge Anita Ušačka, Judge Bruno Cotte, Judge Cuno Tarfusser, the Registrar, Ms Silvana Arbia, the Deputy Prosecutor, Ms Fatou Bensouda, and the Deputy Registrar, Mr Didier Preira.