Strengthening Moldova’s capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate CBRN crimes across its regions and municipalities

Assessing national capacities and defining priorities

On June 23-24, 2025, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, hosted a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) on the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN)-related crimes under the Themis project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. Implemented by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the project aims to strengthen operational, investigative, and criminal justice capacities to address CBRN security threats. Within this framework, Work Package 3 focuses on enhancing investigation, prosecution, and adjudication capabilities across Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, including at regional and municipal levels.

The TTX marked the first phase of a broader capacity-building programme under Work Package 3. Designed to assess Moldova's current challenges, identify operational and legal gaps, and define priorities for future activities, the exercise laid the foundation for a training programme tailored to national needs.

The exercise also reinforced Moldova's commitment to strengthening its national response to CBRN-related crimes by supporting evidence-based planning for subsequent project activities. In addition, it raised awareness among practitioners and policymakers of the importance of establishing a national CBRN response team, while engaging key stakeholders across the country's CBRN framework.

A shared commitment to preparedness

• Alexandru Machidon, General Prosecutor of the Republic of Moldova, opened the TTX emphasizing the importance of the training: "For the Republic of Moldova, this marks a new and critical area of investigation and prosecution. Given the current regional challenges, this training is both timely and necessary. I am proud that, together with the National Institute of Justice, we have made this event possible, bringing together prosecutors, judges, and other key legal professionals. I hope that this will be a valuable and practical experience for all participants. We must be prepared with the skills and tools necessary to identify and prosecute these complex crimes when they arise."

• Ecaterina Popa, Head of the Training and Research Directorate of the National Institute of Justice attended the TTX and praised its structure and inclusiveness: "I commend the organization of this event, which brings together a diverse range of national experts, including prosecutors, judges, and other key stakeholders. This approach fosters inter-institutional cooperation and strengthens our collective ability to respond to these critical matters. Such collaboration is essential for the more effective prosecution of these crimes. We remain committed to working with our international partners and are optimistic that this event will be a key step toward advancing Moldova's role as a regional training hub in investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating CBRN-related crimes."

The Tabletop Exercise

Organized by UNICRI and hosted by Moldova's National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the TTX was conducted in close coordination with the General Prosecutor's Office and the Superior Council of Prosecutors of the Republic of Moldova. The exercise featured three fictitious scenarios involving CBRN incidents and related criminal activities. Designed to test existing national capabilities, the scenarios helped identify operational gaps and priority needs to be addressed through upcoming project training activities and Moldova's CBRN National Action Plan.

The TTX brought together more than 30 prosecutors, judges, investigators and practitioners from key national institutions, including the General Prosecutor's Office, the Superior Council of Prosecutors, the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, the Superior Council of Magistracy, the General Inspectorate of Police, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, the National Army, the Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Regulation of Nuclear and Radiological Activities, the CBRN Technical - Forensics & Judicial Expertise, the Customs Service, the Police Academy, and the National Institute of Justice. The participation of representatives from regions and municipalities across the Republic of Moldova further enriched the exercise, ensuring that diverse perspectives and sector-specific needs were reflected while strengthening coordination among the institutions involved.

Building sustainable national capacity

The TTX also built on previous capacity-building efforts supported by the European Union. The project involved the first cohort of 10 national instructors who graduated from the "CBRN Investigation, Prosecution, and Adjudication (IPA)" project, funded by the European Union under the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative. As a result of the IPA project, Moldova's National Institute of Justice integrated selected CBRN-related courses into its national curriculum and has since delivered two training courses for future prosecutors and judges. Furthermore, the NIJ has agreed to serve as a regional training hub for CBRN-related courses in the European region. This enabled Themis to deliver its training component using NIJ's state-of-the-art facilities, further enhancing the accessibility and sustainability of capacity-building efforts.

The Themis training programme combines theoretical learning with practical application. It includes a series of workshops on investigating and building CBRN-related cases, prosecuting such crimes, and conducting mock trial exrcises using existing national legal frameworks.

The full training package includes four courses comprising more than 50 theoretical and practical modules. Together, these activities represents an important step towards strengthening Moldova's capacity to address complex CBRN risks and threats, while providing a collaborative and sustainable model that may be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges.

Background: Themis project and training courses

Funded by Global Affairs Canada and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, the Themis project is implemented by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).

The project supports Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in strengthening national capacities to prevent, detect, investigate, and respond to chemical and broader chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) security threats. More specifically, it will enhance the ability of intelligence, law enforcement, investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial authorities to address the growing risk of chemical weapons misuse and hazardous materials trafficking by non-State actors, particularly in conflict-affected and high-risk environments. The project will contribute to reducing vulnerabilities to chemical and CBRN incidents and to reinforcing national resilience against these threats by strengthening sustainable training systems, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and promoting alignment with international standards.

The Work Package 3 training programme is grounded in two key reference resources: A Prosecutor's Guide to Chemical and Biological Crimesand A Prosecutor's Guide on Radiological and Nuclear Crimes. Funded by the European Union, these guidebooks have been translated into multiple languages, including Arabic, English, French, Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, and Ukrainian, ensuring broad accessibility for criminal justice practitioners.

The training courses developed under Work Package 3 of the Themis project were successfully designed and piloted in six countries and delivered in both national and regional formats. Their implementation was supported by the European Union through the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative.