Activity of the Parliament on October 16–31, 2006

Appointments. Immunities

Eight out of 9 members of the electronic media watchdog CCA were appointed on October 20. They are:

Gheorghe Gorincioi, proposed by Federation of Unions of Employees of Public Services;
Corneliu Mihalache, proposed by Moldovan League of Professional Journalists;
Ludmila Vasilache, proposed by Moldovan Forum of Women’s Organisations;
Ruslan Plesca, proposed by European Institute of Politics in Moldova;
Valeriu Soltan, proposed by Moldovan Confederation of Free Unions;
Valeriu Frumusachi, proposed by Foundation for Support of Democracy and Parliamentarism;
Constatin Rotaru, proposed by Council of Union of Teachers “Viitorul”;
Vlad Turcanu, proposed by Moldovan League for the Protection of Human Rights.

The candidacy of Carmelia Albu, recommended by the Council of Unions of Broadcasting Employees, was also selected but it was not voted because she was absent at the parliamentary sitting. Lawmakers representing the Communist Party of Moldova (PCRM) and the Christian Democratic People’s Party (PPCD) voted the proposed candidacies, while other parliamentary factions and groups rejected the way the competent parliamentary commission have selected the candidates. Under Broadcasting Code, CCA is in charge with selection of candidates for the Board of Observers of the national broadcasting institution (TeleRadio-Moldova Company).

A request of the Prosecutor-General’s Office seeking the withdrawal of immunity from Deputy Vasile Colta was read at the October 26 sitting. The lawmaker, who was recently excluded from the “Our Moldova” Alliance (AMN) faction, is accused of having hurt minors (administrative contravention) and having attempted to smuggle cigarettes (penal case).

Legislative acts

Law on modification and completion of some legislative acts. The Parliament has examined a package of legislative acts aimed to optimise the justice, which Moldovan president turned down. Lawmakers agreed to create a department of judicial administration as part of the Ministry of Justice, not of the Superior Council of Magistracy.

State budget law for 2007. The legislature has passed the document in two readings, with revenues being estimated at 12,088.5 million lei, expenses at 12,161.4 million lei and deficit at 72.9 million lei. Opposition lawmakers criticised the provisions of this document for lack of priorities, spending of resources for unclear goals, superficial estimation of real incomes.

Law on improvement of economic-financial condition of the state-owned enterprise Moldtranselectro and annulment of some sanctions. It stops the calculation of sanctions for late payments and fines, annuls sanctions for late payments and fines of the state-owned enterprise Moldtranselectro, penalties and interests afferent to credits obtained under additional agreements signed with the Ministry of Finance.

Draft law on modification of the law on introduction and withdrawal of currency from Moldova by individuals. It seeks the permit to receive objects and jewels made of precious metals and stones worth not more than 200 euros and not for commercial production activities via the international postage services, without paying the import rights.

Draft law on completion and modification of legislative acts (on reparation of damage produced by illicit actions of law enforcements). It aims to improve the Law # 1545-XIII from February 25, 1998 regarding the mode of reparation of damage produced by illicit actions of penal investigators, of prosecutors and judges and the Code of Penal Procedure, in a move to clarify cases, mode and conditions of patrimonial responsibility of the state for the damage produced by illicit actions in penal and administrative trials. The Government recommended that the non-pecuniary damage be estimated accordingly to some limits established a priori, but lawmakers do not support this provision. An innovation of this draft is to oblige prosecutors to formally apologise victims on behalf of the state.

Parliamentary control. Statements

Questions and interpellations

The agency for land relations and cadastre has answered an interpellation by AMN Deputy Valeriu Cosarciuc regarding the compensation of citizens for expropriation of their fields in the process of demarcation of the Moldova-Ukraine border. According to unveiled information, a compensation mechanism was not elaborated, calculation criteria were not established, while the problem remains unsolved so far. Deputy Cosarciuc warned that under Article 46 (2) of Constitution nobody can be expropriated but for a cause of public utility, with a fair and preliminary compensation, and the Government violates the Supreme Law in this situation.

AMN Deputy Ion Plesca has reiterated his previous interpellation seeking information about cases lost by Moldova at the European Court of Human Rights, compensation of damages and measures against guilty persons, accessibility and publication of the ECHR judgments in the official gazette Monitorul Oficial.

Democratic Deputy Vlad Filat has asked the TeleRadio-Moldova Company to report on authors, sources of financing, expenses for a broadcast praising the ad-interim mayor-general of Chisinau.

The domestic security service SIS has answered an interpellation by Deputy Vitalia Pavlicenco, saying that it does not hold any case on this person.

Deputy Gheorghe Susarenco has asked the Prosecutor-General’s Office to verify if indications by prime minister regarding the maintenance of discipline in executive-controlled institutions and preliminary coordination of participation of authorities in any public manifestations in Moldova and outside comply with the labour legislation.

Social Liberal Deputy Igor Klipii has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to report the causes that halt Ilie Ilascu to regain the Moldovan citizenship.

Communist Deputy Larisa Zimin has asked the TeleRadio-Moldova to consider the possibility of airing a synthesis programme about Parliament’s activity instead of broadcasting live the plenary sittings^[1]. Zimin based her proposal on wishes of citizens who fail to watch the debates held in working days.

Statements

Social Liberal Deputy Igor Klipii has read a statement accusing the governance of mimicking the anti-corruption fight and transferring the emphasis of this struggle from “big corruption” to certain less influent fields of social life.

Christian Democratic Deputy Georghe Susarenco has critically analysed the legislative activity of the Parliament, saying that the initiatives of opposition are not considered and supported, with the parliamentary majority promoting only own interests.

↑ The mandatory live broadcast of parliamentary sittings on public radio and television channels was established by the Law # 40-XVI from 15.04.2005, being a condition of the “parliamentary political consensus”. The law only may annul these provisions, accordingly to the procedure.

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