Activity of the Government on November 16–30, 2008

Appointments. Dismissals

Following the meeting of the Supreme Security Council which discussed matters relating to the VAT payment and reimbursement, the Government has decided to dismiss Sergiu Puscuta, director of the Centre for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption (CCECC), and Tatiana Loghin, head of the Main State Fiscal Inspectorate. Both functionaries were dismissed with the same formal formula “upon request”. Further, Sergiu Burduja, former deputy director of the Information and Security Service, was appointed CCECC director.

Radu Caruta, former directorate chief in the Ministry of Local Public Administration, was assigned deputy minister of the same ministry.

Eugenia Chistruga, deputy minister of foreign affairs and European integration, was appointed Moldova’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe.

Lucia Gavrilita was assigned to advise the prime minister on social affairs.

Viorica Dumbraveanu was appointed deputy minister of social protection, family and child.

Radu Mudreac was assigned director-general of the sanitary-veterinary agency for safety of animal products.

Andrei Pogurschi was relieved from the office of deputy minister of interior affairs upon his demand.

Under governmental decisions:

Ion Ababii was confirmed rector of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testimitanu”;
Veaceslav Manolachi was confirmed rector of the State University of Physical Education and Sport.

Decisions

Decision concerning the National Council on Coordination of Regional Development. It approves the nominal composition of the Council, which is in charge with giving light to the national strategy on regional development; approving criteria for evaluating discrepancies in the regional development area and national regional development priorities; approving funding from the national regional development fund, etc.

Note by ADEPT: Under the law on regional development in Moldova, the composition of this council should be approved by the mid-April 2007.

Decision concerning the creation of the national council for combating crimes and corruption. The council is made of Deputy Premier Valentin Mejinschi, prosecutor-general, director of the Information and Security Service, minister of justice, minister of interior affairs, director-general of the Customs Service, director-general of the Border Guard Service, and chairperson of the Chamber of Auditors. The council will coordinate anti-corruption actions by law enforcement bodies, actions aimed to ensure the legality and respect for rights and freedoms of citizens, maintaining the public order, fighting against trafficking in human beings and preventing illegal migration. It will cooperate with nongovernmental organisations working in these areas. The Government considers that the formation of this council provides possibilities to coordinate, implement actions aimed at preventing and combating crimes and corruption, ensuring the continuity of ongoing plans, strategies and international agreements in this field.

Note by ADEPT: Under Parliament Decision # 421 from 16.12.2004, the coordination council for combating corruption and crimes created to advise the President of Moldova should coordinate the implementation of the national strategy on preventing and combating corruption and other actions in this area, but details about activity of this council were not provided since it was created under Presidential Decree # 57-III from 28.05.2001.

Decision on amalgamation of the heart surgery centre and cardiology institute. The institutions are amalgamated to save funds, and this measure will allow the diagnosing and treating of cardiovascular diseases in an integral institution.

Decisions approving some regulations:

The regulation of the Department of Penitentiary Institutions;
The regulation concerning the raising and using of funds to finance the constitution of the normative base in building sector;
Tariffs for pay-for services provided by the Ministry of Finance and the regulation on use of these finances;
The national plan on harmonisation of legislation for 2009.

Decision establishing the minimum contents of first health aid kits for motor vehicles. It approves the minimum utensils, medications of travel aid kits and obliges all motorists to have such kits in their cars starting February 2009.

Note by ADEPT: Experts note that the Government Decision does not stipulate any sanctions for the lack of medical kits or absence of some mandatory medications or equipment in the kits, so that motorists could breach the new regulations and traffic policemen could commit abuses.

Decisions approving some draft laws:

Concerning the asylum in the Republic of Moldova;
Concerning the Prosecutor’s Office;
Concerning the copyright and related rights.

Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Meeting of the commission for elaborating the National Security Strategy

The meeting has approached expenses for completing the draft strategy and the related action plan. It was stated that the draft strategy will be consulted with the civil society and its objections will be taken into account. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration jointly with other public authorities involved will organise events (conferences, roundtables, seminars, presentations) with the participation of representatives of the academia, civil society and mass media.

Support to Compact Programme

Moldova’s prime minister and deputy manager of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding on providing support to launch the Compact Programme. The unreimbursable loan is worth about 12 million dollars and it will go to feasibility, technical, environment and social studies for investment projects on renovation of national roads and transition to modern agriculture.

Housing to young specialists from villages

About 600 young specialists who will work in budgetary institutions in rural areas accordingly to the assignment after graduation from educational institutions will be provided free housing. Sixty million lei was foreseen in the 2009 state budget to implement this programme. Beneficiaries of this programme will be young graduates from institutions of higher learning and post-graduation resident education working in villages in the area of education, healthcare, culture and social assistance. The housing will be provided for a 5-year term and young specialists will further become owners on the basis of donation contracts. The price of a residence will be around 100,000 lei and the beneficiary will not have to co-finance it.

Meeting with leaders of trade unions

Prime minister has met members of the Executive Bureau of the National Confederation of Trade Unions in Moldova, with participants pointing out issues to be discussed during an enlarged sitting in early December. Representatives of trade unions noticed stringent problems signalled within primary organisations; in particular, fiscal burden of salary earners; shadow economy; high tariffs for services; social protection in privatisation process; accidents at workplace; difficult situation in agriculture; eventual consequences of the world financial crisis on economy. The premier assured that actions of the cabinet of ministers will keep focussing on objectives of its programme announced at the beginning of the mandate and the Government will not make populist promises, while all decisions will be made after a preliminary in-depth analysis in order to be able to further implement them.

Repeated concerns with traffic security

A new sitting convoked by prime minister has decided to reconsider the regulation of the National Council for Traffic Security and to set up a working group to identify existing problems in preventing accidental situations, combating violations relating to traffic security and education of motorists and pedestrians. It was noted that the situation in this area is alarming so far, as 393 persons were killed and more than 3,030 were hurt in 2,449 traffic accidents in ten months of 2008. Prime minister indicated among urgent measures to be shortly taken the optimisation of activity of the Traffic Police, the revision of legislation which sanctions violations in the field, the revision of the process of education and certification of applicants for driver’s licence. Deputy Prime Minister Valentin Mejinschi will be in charge with this area and will head the National Council for Traffic Security.

Only 7 parties have their documents checked

According to a communication by the Ministry of Justice, only 7 out of 28 existing parties have complied with the new law on political parties and adjusted their constituting documents to new regulations. Another 7 sets of acts are being examined and one party was not registered statute-based modifications. The Ministry of Justice has plans to start checking documents of another 13 political parties to see if they correspond to the new law on parties. In the same communication the Ministry of Justice rejects accusations of obstructing the registration of political parties or changes in their statutes, assuring that it respects the legislation in effect and ensures the necessary transparency while considering applications for the registration of political parties or modifications in their statutes.

Note by ADEPT: According to a recent joint declaration, heads of EU Missions, the European Commission Delegation and the Office of the EU Special Representative have urged the Moldovan Ministry of Justice to assure that the procedures for registration of parties and political movements will be applied transparently, fairly and in the due time. The formal reaction of the Ministry of Justice to this declaration has raised bitter criticism by parliamentary opposition. To note that the study “Electoral Context-2009” which was recently released within the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections Coalitia-2009 has signalled trends to halt the registration/re-registration of political parties among major concerns with the electoral campaign and advised the Ministry of Justice to act in a tolerant and abuse-free manner in this process.

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