Activity of the Government on September 1–15, 2008

Appointments. Dismissals

The Government has given green light to an initiative by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to assign Alexandru Cujba as Moldova’s representative to the New York-based United Nations.

Valentin Crudu was relieved from the office of deputy minister of education and youth “on the basis of own demand.”

Vasile Mamaliga was relieved from the post of deputy minister of industry and infrastructure, as this structure was dissolved.

Note by ADEPT: The Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure was dissolved under Law # 49-XVI from 07.03.2008 and, therefore, Mamaliga has run an office in a de jure inexistent structure.

Decisions

Decision approving the regulation on methodology of calculation of earnings to provide qualified state-guaranteed legal assistance. The document was approved to implement the law on state-guaranteed legal assistance and approve the regulation on methodology of calculation of earnings to provide qualified state-guaranteed legal assistance and the model of income declaration. It says that the qualified state-guaranteed legal assistance is provided to people earning less than needed for the minimum existence per capita a month. The minimum existence is calculated on the basis of estimates by the National Bureau for Statistics, accordingly to the regulation on calculation of the minimum existence (GD # 902 from 28 August 2000).

Note by ADEPT: The law on state-guaranteed legal assistance should enter into force by July 1, 2008, but the adoption of normative acts needed to enforce it was delayed and this will also extend the enactment term of the law. Therefore, the positive effects of the new regulations will be postponed for a long period, though the implementation of reforms in the area is a priority in the country and within international commitments (EU-RM).

Decision approving model of new driver’s licences. It approved the model of driver’s licence and temporary issuance conditions. The Ministry of Information Development will implement the new documentation system by January 1, 2011 and new driver’s licences will be issued or changed on old-type ones only upon the demand of holders.

Decision creating the state-owned enterprise “Fiscservinform”. The enterprise is created on the basis of the state-owned company called spirits record centre, with the Principal State Fiscal Inspectorate taking over the functions of founder. The Ministry of Finance is due to supplement the social capital of the enterprise, but no concrete amount was established.

Decision approving minimum quality standards for social services provided by maternal centres. It establishes minimum quality standards for all institutions concerned “in the limit of allocations foreseen by these budgets” and other means (grants, donations).

Decision on reorganisation of some enterprises. The state-owned Institute of Agricultural machines “Mecagro” is reorganised through merger (absorption) with the state-owned printing company of the Agrarian University.

Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Meeting with Association of Agricultural Producers

Aspects regarding the crop of this year and exports were tackled at the initiative of prime minister. Representatives of the union of agricultural producers Uniagroprotect recommended the liberalisation of the trading of agricultural products, with the condition to register export contracts with the Commodity Exchange, which will open branches in district centres. At the same time, Uniagroprotect proposed the priority subsidising of some high value-added agricultural branches. “Governmental officials said that the Government is looking for new possibilities to fund the agriculture, including from external sources and will award priority to branches producing high value-added,” Zinaida Greceanii stated. Speaking about applications to restructure payments to the state social insurance budget, the prime minister said that all demands of agricultural producers will be taken into consideration, but “a second fiscal amnesty is impossible.”

Meeting with IMF representatives

IMF mission head said that policies promoted by Moldovan Government are already effective and there are encouraging evolutions in the national economy, given the regional situation. According to IMF mission head, the National Bank of Moldova is successfully reducing the pressure on demand, budgetary performances are good, and the basic inflation is on the decline both due to lower prices of food products, which is a great process of the Government, given inflationist pressures and rise of energy prices.

Visit to penitentiary for women

Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii has visited the prison for women in the village of Rusca, Hincesti district, and collected facts about renovation works carried out there with the financial assistance of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The premier assured inmates that the Government is trying to improve the detention conditions and more than 2 million lei was allocated to complete the renovation of the medical block and canteen. At the same time, the executive is trying to reduce the number of inmates in prisons by recommending a draft law on early release of detainees who committed less serious offences. Inmates asked the Government to increase the number of jobs for convicts and approached the issuance of retirement documents for old people.

National security strategy is being drafted

The process of drafting the national security strategy was examined at a sitting chaired by prime minister. Members of the commission for the elaboration of the national security strategy said that the document was improved in terms of structure and quality, but adequate regulations would be necessary in the action plan on implementation of the strategy. Thus, institutions concerned will set priorities of the action plan, in order to readjust them to the Medium-Term Expense Framework. The draft strategy and action plan will be delivered soon to the specialised parliamentary commission and Presidency in order to examine them, and all documents will be published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and by the mass media for public consultations.

Efficiency of meetings with people

The Government has examined the execution of the decision on setting appointments between cabinet members and heads of central and local public authorities and citizens, and made a “protocol decision” instructing Executive members and heads of central administrative authorities to take notice of the information on problems raised by people and the way they are resolved, before visiting the territorial units concerned, by visiting the website of the Ministry of Local Public Administration (MLPA); to visit rural areas as well (not only district centres); to take actions in order to resolve the signalled problems in areas and to report major problems to the MLPA. In its turn, the ministry will analyse the efficiency of visits to areas, apply the rotation principle in elaborating the timetable of visits, monitor results of meetings and intensify the control on respect for the terms for the reporting of actions taken to remedy the signalled problems.

Note by ADEPT: Experts consider that paying more attention to visits to areas and their efficiency may also bring electoral benefits, as special problems faced by electors, which once settled would have an electoral impact, are signalled and grouped during such meetings, with the ruling party finally enjoying preliminary efforts of the Government and its representatives. At the same time, the Government and organisational and propaganda-making skills of its members are being tested.

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