Activity of the Parliament on November 16 – December 1, 2006

Appointments. Immunities

The legislature has given green light to a proposal by the Superior Council of Magistracy regarding reshuffles in administration of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ):

Ion Muruianu was appointed deputy chairman of SCJ, chairman of the economic college (Natalia Moldovanu was relieved from this post);
Raisa Botezatu was appointed deputy chairwoman of SCJ, chairwoman of the criminal college (instead of judge Constantin Gurschii).

The Parliament has operated a series of reshuffles in permanent commissions:

Grigore Petrenco was elected chairman of the commission for foreign policy and European integration;
Vladimir Ciobanu was appointed chairman of the commission for public administration, ecology and territorial development at the initiative of the Communist faction (instead of Veaceslav Untila, who was revoked at the proposal of the major faction);
Valentina Serpul was elected deputy chairwoman of the commission for social protection, health and family (instead of Valentina Golban, who was revoked at the proposal of the major faction);
Vasile Pintea was elected deputy chairman of the commission for economy, budget and finances (instead of Iurie Bolboceanu, who tendered resignation);
Vitalia Pavlicenco was revoked from the post of deputy chairwoman of the commission for foreign policy and European integration (at the proposal of the Our Moldova Alliance (AMN) faction);
Vasile Colta was revoked from post of secretary of the commission for agriculture and food industry (at the initiative of AMN faction).

The number of lawmakers in the commission for foreign policy and European integration was increased from 11 up to 13 deputies, while the number of parliamentarians in the commission for social protection, health and family was reduced from 11 down to 9 members.

The Parliament has examined a request by prosecutor-general and decided to withdraw immunity from Deputy Vasile Colta, who joined the parliament as an AMN member and was excluded from this faction later. Most lawmakers decided after a secret voting that there are enough reasons to punish Deputy Colta under Penal Code on cigarette smuggling charges and under Code of Contraventions for hurting some persons.

Legislative acts

State budget law for 2007. The law was modified in the third reading to redirect some sources and reduce the reserve fund of the executive. Lawmakers have unveiled about 600 amendments, but the Parliament has turned down most of them due to the lack of funds. The general amount of expenditure and incomes was not modified: revenues will count for 12.088 billion lei, expenditure will amount to 12.161 billion lei and the budgetary deficit is expected to account for roughly 73 million lei.
Law on organisation and conduct of tourism activity in Moldova. It regulates legal relations linked to drafting and promotion of state policy on tourism, organisation and coordination of tourism activity, entrepreneurial activity in the field of tourism, forms of tourism, creation and activity of national tourism zones. It introduces the notion of national tourism zone, a part of Moldova enjoying a special regime, which includes one or more national tourism facility, created to protect and use tourism resources efficiently and to develop the tourism infrastructure.
Law on modification of Article 24 of the Law on Government. This law divided the Ministry of Health and Social Protection into the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child. This change came because the previous decision on merger of these ministries was not prepared enough and results of activity of the ministry in certain fields of competence (social protection of family, children) have not been very efficient. The decision to amalgamate the ministries was made in 2005 in response to a message and proposals of chief of state, in a move to reform the central public administration.
Law on completion of the Penal Code of Moldova. The code is completed with two new articles: Article 245¹ (Abuses in activity of participants in securities market) and Article 245² (Violation of legislation on writing down in the register of securities holders). Sanctions consist of fines of up to 300 conventional units (6,000 lei) and jail terms of 7 years.
Law on modification and completion of the state budget law for 2006. The law has allocated 93.1 million lei from the state budget to the State Administration of Civil Aviation to complete the statutory capital of the State Air Company Air Moldova. The parliamentary opposition and competent experts have contested this proposal, describing the Government’s actions as unreasonable, economically inefficient and contrary to principles of market economy.
Decision approving the 2007 budget of the National Commission for Securities (CNVM). The budget of CNVM comprised incomes in the amount of 8,830,000 lei, including existing 3 million lei. Also, it approved taxes and fees paid to CNVM, conditions of pay for CNVM members and employees.
Draft law on processing of personal data. The document aims to guarantee respect and ensure protection of rights of individuals to private life, in connection with processing of personal data. The action of the law will cover the processing of personal data by any individuals or legal entities, except for personal data, by individuals for their personal usage only, if these data must not be disclosed. The norms of the law will not be applied for processing and transfer of personal data within activities in the field of national defence, national security and combat of crime.
Draft law on public debt, state guarantees and state re-crediting. The draft aims to contract, disburse, reimburse, register and administrate the state debt, grant state guarantees and re-credit from means obtained from state loans. The new regulation will substitute the present Law # 943-XIII from 18.07.1996 on state debt and state guarantees.
Draft law on state social insurance budget. The document increases by one percent the transfers of salary earners to the budget (4 percent of the salary and other recompenses). Employers will pay one percent less (25 percent instead of 26 percent in 2006). Holders of entrepreneurial patents will pay contributions in the amount of 2,318 lei a year to benefit of a minimum pension. Those working abroad will hold the right to a minimum pension, if they pay 2,318 lei a year. The single birth indemnity will count for 1,000 lei for every child. The parliamentary opposition has criticised the draft, fearing that the Government’s social policy is inefficient, while the solidarity principle is incapable to stimulate the welfare system. It criticised the insufficient support for young families and children, high social contributions (one third of the employee’s salary).
Draft law modifying and completing some legislative acts (on state protection for victims, witnesses and other persons assisting a trial). It specifies categories of persons who benefit of protection, establishes a series of new regulations on competence of bodies in charge with applying and supervising measures of protection. The amendments aim to enhance the efficiency of these measures, consolidate mechanisms for identification and demonstration of grave offences.
Draft law modifying and completing the law on mandatory health insurance. The category of persons insured from state budget includes persons capable to work who look after a disabled child under 16, as well as mothers of at least seven children.
Draft law on modification of some legislative acts (remuneration of lawmakers, policemen). The document seeks the completion of the law on status of parliamentarian with norms which would allow lawmakers to receive “fees and other compensations in the amount established by Parliament” additionally to the pay stipulated by law on salary system in budgetary sector. These amendments could reduce the transparency of remunerations for public dignitaries, affecting the principle of “integrity and uprightness” of governance, public control on incomes of dignitaries. Article 6 (1) of the Law # 355/2005 on salary system in budgetary sector establishes that public dignitaries hold the right to a concrete monthly salary that represents the only form of pay. According to experts, the proposed modifications will “legalise” additional payments “for lawmakers by deputies” but criteria of calculation and concrete limits will not be publicly and transparently established.
Other draft laws adopted in the first reading: on registers; on mandatory civil responsibility insurance for damages produced by motor vehicles; on technical regulation activity; on general security of products; on modification and completion of the law introducing additional measures aimed to sustain entrepreneurial activity in localities from the left bank of the Dniester river of the district of Dubasari.

Parliamentary control

Questions. Interpellations

Christian Democratic Deputy Ion Varta has asked the minister of culture and tourism to explain the degradation of some monuments of patrimony. Varta affirms that a lot of buildings of maximal importance remain abandoned and risk to disappear. “If they cannot be renovated at present, these buildings should be kept under record, included in the register of state patrimony in order to be protected against destruction,” Varta said.

Christian Democratic Deputy Vlad Cubreacov has asked the prime minister and interior minister to explain respect for principle of separation of state from religious denominations, neutrality of state over any church and non-recognition of religious denominations by state’s agents. His interpellation was based on a letter by Causeni police chief to Orthodox priests from the district, who demanded security at churches, technical-material fortification of churches by installing autonomous alarms, invoking requirements of the top leadership of Moldova, Government and Interior Ministry.

Democratic Deputy Vladimir Filat has demanded information about supply of consumers with gas, warning that gas providers who hold the monopoly on market refuse to connect consumers, if they do not pay for the planned consumption.

Deputy Ivan Banari has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to report on issuance of Romanian visas and resolution of appeals by Romanian authorities for opening of consular offices in cities of Balti and Cahul.

Motions

A group of 15 lawmakers (Valentina Golban, Igor Klipii, Oleg Serebrian, Veaceslav Untila, Ion Plesca, Vasile Grozavu, Anatol Onceanu, Ion Ciontoloi, Leonid Bujor, Vitalia Pavlicenco, Anatol Taranu, Valentina Cusnir, Zoia Jalba, Ion Neagu and Gheorghe Susarenco) submitted a motion on November 17 seeking the dismissal of some members of the cabinet of ministers for not speaking the official language. The motion envisaged Minister of Reintegration Vasile Sova; Minister of Transportation and Road Management Miron Gagauz; Minister of Information Development Vladimir Molojen; the director of the Agency for Constructions and Territorial Development Igor Semenovcher; and the director of the Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre Alexandr Bannicov. The Parliament did not examine the motion at plenary sitting, with the speaker telling signatories that the Permanent Bureau has examined the problem and found breaches of the procedure of submitting the motion.

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