Activity of the Government on November 1–16, 2007

Appointments. Reshuffles

Iurie Bucinschi, former chief of the Health Directorate of the Chisinau City Hall, was appointed deputy minister of social protection, family and child.
The former advisor of prime minister, Sergiu Tatarov, former coordinator of the expert group in charge with implementing the Central Public Administration Reform, was appointed deputy minister of local public administration;
Sergiu Rata was appointed deputy minister of health;
Ion Pochin was assigned deputy director of the National Agency for Regulation in Telecommunications and Informatics;
Moldova State University rector Gheorghe Rusnac, was proposed as Moldovan ambassador to Italy;
Valentin Dragan, former deputy minister of transportation, was assigned the representative of Moldova to the CIS Economic Commission;
Stefan Calancea was relieved from the post of deputy minister of agriculture and food industry and Valentina Haheu was dismissed from the office of prime minister’s advisor for social affairs.

The prime minister reprimanded certain members of his cabinet on November 14 for protracting or bureaucratising the execution of some governmental decisions. He reprimanded the minister of defence, the minister of local public administration, the minister of finance, the interior minister, and the director of the Building Agency.

Decisions

Decision approving the temporary regulation on free traffic of vehicles with irregular documents and number plates in Moldova. According to the decision, motor vehicles with number plates and documents registered in the eastern region of the country (Transnistria) will be prohibited to cross the state territory of Moldova starting January 1, 2008, and they will be forbidden in Moldova starting January 1, 2009. Owners of such vehicles will have to pay the necessary customs duties within half a year. The governmental amendments challenged contradictory reactions, with representatives of the Transnistrian regime describing them as new restrictions and threatening to take similar measures.

Decisions approving draft laws:

Concerning modification of Article 32 of the Moldovan Constitution. It aims to exclude the sentence “contestation and libelling of the state and people” from Article 32 (3), so that opinions and speeches on this issue not to be sanctioned as long as they do not fuel major breaches and damages. According to European norms, only violent actions may be punished, otherwise the right to criticism and the freedom of expression, talks on political issues and of general interest are affected.
Concerning protection of brands;
Concerning domestic trade;
Concerning protection of plants;
Concerning documentation of some categories of vehicles.

Decisions approving concepts, strategies, plans:

The 2008–17 health development strategy;
The single mandatory health insurance programme;
The concept of farmer subsidising system for 2008–2015.

Decisions on allocation of funds:

Two million lei is allocated from the reserve fund of the Government to the Agro-Industrial Agency Moldova-Vin for the state participation in the registered capital of the mortgage investment company Moldvinipoteca SA;
69.5 million lei is allocated from “general revenues of the state budget” to serve the internal state debt.

Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Government’s Action Programme in 9 months of 2007

Cabinet members have heard a report by the Ministry of Economy and Trade regarding the implementation of the action programme, drawing the key conclusion that “the social-political situation in the country has improved.” The executive observed positive macroeconomic indicators: the rise of national public budget collections; the GDP growth (by 8 percent in the first half-year); the revival of constructions, the advance of services for population. The medium monthly salary on economy accounted for 2,130 lei, growing 1.93-fold compared with 2004, and the average retirement pension amounted to 558.5 lei, increasing 6.4-fold compared with 2001. The cabinet indicated the following tasks: development of real sector of economy; revision of the number and structure of control bodies, etc.

Governmental structure for translation of documents

The Government will create a structure to officially translate international documents from other languages into Moldovan and vice versa. This issue was examined at a working sitting with decision makers chaired by Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration noted that this structure must be created because the number of international documents, treaties has increased during implementation of measures aimed at Moldova’s accession to the European Union and they will be translated and certified. The premier ordered the creation of a working group to establish the structure and to find funds for the new institution. Experts seriously criticise the governmental decision, saying that a special structure is useless since all European legislation can be taken over from the Romanian Government (see article “8 mln. lei … aruncati in vint” (wasted 8 million lei) at www.expert-grup.org), which wants to give it for free, and Moldovan authorities should officially demand it.

Concern with renovation of Museum of Arts

Although the chief of state has been reported that the first stage of renovation of the Home of Kligman and Herta was successfully completed, it was stressed at a recent sitting convoked by prime minister that these works should be based on quality norms and the original architectural aspect should be maintained. It was decided to select an experienced entrepreneur in charge with restoration and an architect to coordinate the works, and a board of observers will be create to monitor the quality of works and the efficient use of funds, so that to ensure a transparent restoration process. It is worth to note that the mass media has criticised the work of authorities in this area, arguing with assessments by cultural, art and architectural experts.

New statements on cooperation with nongovernmental organisations

The National Commission for European Integration has assured again that competent institutions had accomplished most of the planned actions in the period concerned. The prime minister warned that “Moldova’s minimal commitments toward EU” must be entirely honoured in the due terms. Thanks to the recent issue (8^th) of Euromonitor, and reactions toward this report, ministries and other central administrative authorities have been instructed to intensify the dialogue with civil society regarding the European issue, including by building “councils to coordinate nongovernmental associations”.

Concerns with tourism and pharmaceutical sectors

The prime minister has convoked a working sitting with decision makers in charge with improving the legal-normative base of Moldovan tourism, and considered problems related to enforcement of the law on tourism. The prime minister called for the creation of national tourism areas on basis of experience of countries with a well-developed tourism infrastructure, and demanded the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to raise argued and efficient proposals in order to build a true tourism infrastructure in Moldova.

The minister of economy and commerce has told a sitting on development of pharmaceutical sector that an action plan in this area is being worked out. The prime minister demanded that at least one pharmacy be available in every locality of Moldova, so that people be able to buy qualitative drugs for a reasonable price. The Ministry of Economy and Commerce was told that the pharmaceutical system should work efficiently starting 2008, and the Drug Agency was instructed to work out a business plan to indicate concrete terms and officials in charge with developing the domestic drug industry.

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