Activity of the Government on January 17–31, 2011

Events of major importance

Visit of European Commissioner for Home Affairs

Prime Minister of Moldova Vlad Filat and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström held a joint press conference on issues related to liberalization of visa regime for Moldovan citizens and the Action Plan in this regard. European Commissioner appreciated the achievements of Moldovan authorities in promoting Moldova-EU dialogue, particularly in respect of the agenda for liberalization of visa regime. Cecilia Malmström said that the Plan contains a number of technical requirements on ensuring with conformity documents (biometric passports), strengthening borders, combating corruption, etc. Moldovan Prime Minister said that receiving the Action Plan is an important step in the way of achieving the desired abolishment of visa regime for Moldovan citizens in order to travel freely within the community space.

Appointments. Dismissals

By means of governmental decisions a number of deputy ministers were confirmed or appointed in positions:

Natalia Gherman — Foreign Affairs and European Integration;
Octavian Calmic — Economy;
Victor Barbaneagra — Finance;
Oleg Efrim — Justice;
Boris Gerasim — Transportation and Road Infrastructure;
Loretta Handrabura — Deputy Minister of Education;
Sergiu Sainciuc — Labour, Social Protection and Family;
Anatolie Zolotcov — Regional Development and Construction;
Dona Scola — Information and Communication Technology;
Octavian Bodisteanu — Youth and Sport (instead of Nicolae Andronachi)
Rodion Bajureanu — Environment (instead of Corneliu Marza)
Viorel Gutu — Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry.

The Executive appointed the leadership of the Governmental Secretariat:

Victor Bodiu — Secretary General of Government;
Roman Cazan — Deputy Secretary General;
Eduard Banaruc — Deputy Secretary General.

Decisions

Decisions on approving draft laws:

On state compensation for the damage caused by the breach of a reasonable time in the court trial of the file-cases or the enforcement of court decisions. It proposes to regulate the procedure of accomplishing the right of individuals of legal persons to obtain compensation for the infringement of the right to court proceedings within a reasonable time or to the enforcement of court decision within a reasonable time. It concerns any court proceedings: civil, administrative or criminal. Damage assessment and compensation (material, moral, costs and court expenses) shall be made taking into account only the violations committed due to reasons that cannot be attributable to the person who applied for compensation. Compensation for breach of reasonable time shall be made regardless of the guilt of court, criminal prosecution body or authority competent to enforce the court decision, which caused the breach of the reasonable time. The interested person may request the establishment of the infringement regarding the reasonable time during the trial process or within six months after the entry into force of the prosecutor’s order on stopping the prosecution or dropping from criminal prosecution or of the judicial act of disposal, during the enforcement procedure or within 6 months after the end of enforcement procedure. The draft also aims to reduce the volume of Moldovan cases in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), by establishing national mechanism on reviewing the applications for which there is already a well-established ECHR jurisprudence.
On amending Article 16 of the Broadcasting Code. According to the amendments, the broadcasters will be required to provide the relevant persons with the right of reply in the same programme, in the same time-frame and with the same duration, within 15 days after receiving the grounded application, and if the programme that spread this information is broadcasted more often than every 15 days, the reply shall be broadcasted in the next issue of that programme.
On amending and supplementing the Law on editorial activity. The draft provides for transfer of functions within the competence of National Book Chamber to the National Library, and the local authorities will have the task of extending the book distribution network.

Meetings. Decisions

Continued attention to the sphere of pharmaceuticals

Prime Minister convened a meeting attended by decision makers within th public administration and representatives of a number of pharmaceutical companies, where they discussed the implementation of Governmental Decision on the Regulation on the method of approving and registering the producer prices for medicines. According to presented information, in the National Catalogue of producer prices for medicines 3,100 drug names have been included, and price reduction exceeds 39%. Price reductions by 10 lei was found for over 64% of re-assessed pharmaceutical products, by 10 to 50 lei — for about 30%, 50–100 lei — 5.8% for over 100 lei for over 2.6%. Prime Minister Vlad Filat was dissatisfied that the National Catalogue of producer prices for medicines didn’t include all the names of drugs that are sold on the domestic market and also said that some operators on the local market have increased significantly in the last period of 2010 the imports of pharmaceutical products in order to have an argument for maintaining the prices. Ministry of Health was asked to make a comprehensive assessment of stocks of essential drugs, and CCECC — of pharmaceutical stocks. It has also been requested to assess the situation of rural pharmacies and the impact of the Governmental Decision on them. Pharmacists attending the meeting said that those who were prepared beforehand for the implementation of new regulations do not experience problems, and pharmaceutical stocks, although there do exist, are quite small. They proposed that pharmaceutical prices included in the National Catalogue should be also published in the Official Gazette, and this proposal was supported by Prime Minister. During the meeting it was agreed that every three days the Prime Minister should receive information on the situation on pharmaceutical market.

Concerns about rising prices

Vlad Filat convened a meeting to examine the situation concerning the prices for services and essential products, as well as to establish actions to ensure compliance with law and real prices. Minister of Economy presented detailed information on the development of annual consumption price index in Moldova, which in 2010 was 8.1%. According to information, these trends derive from regional and international market trends. However, regarding the pricing methodology for relevant products, developed by the National Energy Regulatory Agency, there are some reservations. At the same time, the work continues on developing solutions for the diversification of energy resources, and in the nearest future the proposals in this regard will be submitted. With reference to the prices of food and basic consumption goods, it was decided that they should be constantly monitored and analyzed within the national committees based on product categories. Prime Minister expressed his dissatisfaction with the work of tax bodies in the context of preventing and combating tax irregularities in the field. Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family was given the instruction to develop, in collaboration with other state institutions, concrete proposals on providing necessary assistance and social compensations to the country’s population in order to mitigate the consequences of higher prices for products and services.

Meeting with PCRM MPs

Prime Minister Vlad Filat met with a group of PCRM MPs, who handed a folder containing visions, proposals and suggestions of Moldovan citizens regarding the country’s further development and resolution of some problems that population is facing with. Communist MPs said they hope these requests will be considered and necessary decisions adopted, and Prime Minister mentioned that these proposals and suggestions will be properly considered. Vlad Filat also mentioned that he remains open to proposals that will be submitted to the government, including from the opposition, if they will be aiming at solving the society’s problems.

Problems in constructions

A meeting convened at the Government tackled the situation of a group of protesting citizens, who claim they would be victims of real estates scams. According to representatives of protesters, about 200 people have concluded contracts to invest in construction of residential blocks, but the construction company did not honour its commitments and is currently in the process of insolvency. According to information held by the Prime Minister, more than 2,000 citizens are in similar situation, waiting for completion of about 200 residential blocks, and the situation was generated back in 2005–2008.

Subsequently, a meeting was convened with participation of governmental representatives and law enforcement bodies, which tackled the issues concerning the situation in the housing construction industry, with particular focus on unfinished constructions. According to the information held, in the Republic of Moldova there are 246 housing blocks under construction, of which for 71 blocks the construction was stopped. In connection with various problems arising from failing to fulfil contractual obligations regarding the housing construction the CCECC registered 257 applications, and on 57 of them criminal cases were initiated, some of which are already in court. Most contracts that currently cause problems are dated back in 2003–2005 when about 3,000 licenses were issued to construction operators, many of which have proved unable to honour their contractual obligations, creating prerequisites for worsening the situation in the field. Prime Minister requested to examine the situation in terms of ensuring the law and also in economic terms, identifying effective solutions to help people who have suffered. At the same time, the law enforcement institutions and those entitled to control and investigate were instructed to thoroughly investigate the cases of law infringement in the construction industry, analyzing the overall situation and to develop proposals in order to improve the legal framework for preventing and combating irregularities in this area.

e-democracy.md