Activity of the Parliament on April 29 – May 15, 2006

Legislative acts

Law for the completion of Article 22 of the law on veterans. The document stipulates monthly indemnities of 500 lei for retirees who hold the Stefan cel Mare Order (94 persons at present).

Law on importation of a vehicle for special use. The law stipulates the introduction of a mobile television car made in 1994, donated to TeleRadio-Moldova Company by Norwegian Television, by derogating the provisions of the Customs Code and exempting it from duties for import rights.

Draft law on the National Institute of Justice. The document was drafted at the insistence and recommendations of international institutions and aims to create and choose a status of this public institution, which will be in charge with training candidates to posts of judges and prosecutors, professional training of judges and prosecutors, and other law makers.

Draft law on status and model of organisation of activity of clerks of courts. It proposes to establish a mode of succession to the post of clerk, his status, rights and tasks, obligations, activity, supervision of activity and responsibilities.

Draft law on international legal assistance in penal matters. The goal of the law is to establish a mechanism for regulation of the Code of Penal Procedure on international legal assistance on penal matters, international treaties signed by Moldova. The law will be applied for transmission of manuscripts, data and information, communication of acts of procedure; summoning of witnesses, experts and investigated persons; transfer of criminal procedures; extradition; transfer of sentenced people; recognition of judgments of foreign courts, etc. A law on amendment of the Code of Penal Procedure was adopted in the first reading along with this draft, seeking the inclusion of a section of takeover and transfer of procedures in penal matters.

Draft law on modification of Article 6 of the Law # 118-XV from 14 March 2003 on Prosecutor’s Office. The document adopted in the first reading proposes a new editing allowing the prosecutor to contest an act issued by a public body in cases stipulated by law only, in interests of national security and public order, with the purpose to prevent disorder and offences, for protection of health and morality, protection of rights and freedoms of citizens. Under the effective law, any act considered illegal may be contested and the appeal of prosecutor suspends the action of the act contested before its examination by competent authority (the draft adopted in the first reading does not change the order on suspensive effect of the appeal, though it was contested by experts in the field of rights).

Draft law for the modification and completion of the Law # 243-XV from 8 July 2004 on subsidised insurance of production risks in agriculture. It proposes higher administration expenses of issuer included in insurance premiums (from 10 percent up to 20 percent), of share of subsidy of insurance premiums (from 40% up to 50%, 60%). The Law # 243-XV in existing editing demonstrated its inefficiency: four economic agents insured themselves in 2005 (the insured amount was 5.8 million lei, subsidy from budget accounted for 90,000 lei), and 17 economic agents in 2006 (the amount foreseen in the budget for subsidising is 15 million lei).

Draft law on fish breeding fund, fishing and canning of water biological resources. It proposes to establish a general status for water resources used for fish breeding, competence of public authorities in the field, mode of administration and management, economic implications, etc.

Draft law on modification of some legislative acts (Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure). It proposes the introduction of some amendments needed to promote reforms in the field of juvenile justice, in line with international standards in the area. It calls for the reduction of the maximum detention terms for minors from 15 years down to 12.6 years; enlargement of the legal framework on use of educative restrictions, of institution of suspention of execution of punishment; use of unpaid work for community’s benefit for a high number of offences, which require jail terms or fines at present.

Parliamentary control. Declarations

Hearings

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration has tabled to the Parliament a report on balance sheet of a year of implementation of the European Union — Republic of Moldova Action Plan (EURMAP). According to Deputy Premier Andrei Stratan, cooperation with civil society has a special contribution to implementation of the plan. The minister has remarked that while specialised NGOs had a considerable contribution to monitoring and promotion of European policies, training of functionaries, collaboration with governmental authorities.

Deputies representing the parliamentary majority have asked information about undertaken measures and prospects of implementing the social objectives of EURMAP, creation of the juvenile justice system and child’s rights, implementation of the Moldovan Village Programme. Also, they demanded preliminary expertises, adjustment of draft legislative acts to European legislation before their presentation to the Parliament. A representative of the Communist Party (PCRM) faction has accused the parliamentary faction of the Our Moldova Alliance (AMN) of passivity in implementing EURMAP and thanked the Christian Democratic People’s Party (PPCD) and the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) for contributing to the implementation of some reforms included in the Action Plan. Opposition lawmakers have signalled improper attitudes of the Government towards implementation of EURMAP, insufficient information of population, lack of essential progresses in certain key fields (development and quality of economic growth, anti-corruption struggle, lack of concrete provisions and a detailed programme on implementation of provisions of the Plan). The exposed objectives also envisaged the quality of Moldovan diplomats, faulty use of allocated financials resources, delayed annulment of Moldovan visas for E.U. citizens, a situation capable to influence the attitude of the E.U. authorities towards visa system applied on Moldovan citizens. AMN faction leader Serafim Urechean and Social Liberal Party (PSL) chairman Oleg Serebrian have delivered critical statements regarding the assessment of implementation of the E.U.-Moldova Action Plan.

The deputy minister of economy and trade has informed about the rise of compensations in connection with high tariffs for energy resources. In 2005, 263,000 citizens benefited of compensations (219 million lei was spent from the budget). Starting 2007, the compensations will be directed depending on revenue (pilot projects are being implemented in several districts and a sector in the Chisinau municipality).

The deputy director of the agency for regional development has reported the situation of the water pipe Soroca-Balti, which does not function because of technical faults. The provided water unfits the quality parameters and the water pumping stations must be modernised and large sums are needed for complete repairs, but they have not been foreseen to the budget. The functioning of water pipe would generate losses, while consumers cannot afford higher tariffs.

Questions. Interpellations

AMN Deputy Vitalia Pavlicenco has invoked studies carried out by civil society representatives regarding the financing of justice, which indicate the dependence of courts, interference of the executive and legislature in the process of establishing of financing. Pavlicenco demanded explanations from Government, Justice Ministry and Superior Council of Magistracy, asked the authorities to stop the involvement of functionaries in establishing the financing for justice, accusing them of violating the legislation and limiting the independence of the judiciary.
PDM Deputy Vladimir Filat has asked the Ministry of Transportation to report to the Parliament on condition of the traffic fund of Moldova, use of means from the traffic fund and implementation of plans on renovation, reconstruction of roads.
PPCD Deputy Stefan Secareanu has asked the Ministry of Education to explain the change of the name of the lycee “Ghorghe Asachi” from Romanian-French into Moldovan-French, generating a conflict and provoking the society. Secareanu also demanded information about intention to modify the acts on graduation from pre-university institutions, in order to replace turn the “Romanian language” subject into “Moldovan language”.
PSL Deputy Igor Clipii has demanded explanations from the Education Ministry about changes in curriculum, reduction of the number of lessons for certain subjects, transfer of some subjects (including civic education) from compulsory to optional.
PDSM lawmaker Dumitru Braghis has asked the Government to present an ample information about implementation of the Moldovan Village programme launched during the 2005 electoral campaign with much pomp but, Braghis noted, implemented later with big arrears and deficiencies.

Declarations

AMN Deputy Vitalia Pavlicenco has sought the priority examination of opposition’s initiatives, especially of those whose terms for notification and preliminary examination stipulated by the Parliament’s Regulation have expired. She particularly indicated draft laws annulling Moldovan visas for E.U. citizens and seeking the denunciation of the agreement on constitution of CIS by Moldova. The parliamentary majority turned down the proposal to examine the denunciation of the CIS Agreement because it “was not examined,” a fact that Pavlicenco described as an obstruction of the active opposition.

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