Activity of the Parliament on October 1–15, 2007

Appointments. Immunities

The Parliament has taken notice of the resignation demand of parliamentarian Ion Ciontoloi, who was elected on behalf of the Our Moldova Alliance (OMA). Ciontoloi has tendered resignation in connection with his election as chairman of the Causeni district. Earlier, the parliamentary majority has approved the withdrawal of the parliamentary immunity at the request of the Prosecutor-General’s Office and gave green light to the trying of Ciontoloi under penal charges, as he is accused of abusive administration of cooperative property. The fate of the penal case was not told to the public opinion.

Elena Pui was appointed member of the Management Board of the National Commission of Financial Market for a 2-year term.

Judge Nina Cernat was appointed deputy chairwoman of the economic college of the Supreme Court of Justice for a 4-year term, at the initiative of the Superior Council of Magistracy.

Deputy Vladimir Filat was excluded from the Moldovan Democratic Party faction after he has withdrawn from this party. Filat has become an “unaffiliated lawmaker”.

Legal acts

Laws on ratification of some international acts:

The protocol on modification of the agreement between Moldovan and Russian Governments concerning principles of payment of indirect taxes in reciprocal trade. The document aims to apply the VAT on natural gas and petroleum deliveries on destination principle;
Loan framework agreement between Moldovan Government and the Council of Europe Development Bank. The loan is worth 4.9 million Euros, it is released for a 20-year term, including a 5-year grace term to facilitate the social housing building;
The loan agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the road rebuilding project in Moldova). The loan is worth 30 million Euros and it will go to concrete segments of national roads;
The financing agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Investment Bank (the European roads in Moldova project). This agreement also stipulates a 30-million-euro crediting;
The convention between Moldovan Government and the Luxembourg Government on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion of income and capital taxes and the protocol to this agreement.

Draft law on state registration of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. The draft law passed in the first reading was worked out to implement the concept on automatic information system called “state register of legal entities” and to execute the legislative programme for 2005–09, aiming to replace the Law # l265-XIV from October 5, 2000 concerning state registration of enterprises and organisations. It brings a shorter registration and erasing procedure (shorter registration term, fewer documents, special stipulation of the list of documents needed for registration, ban of the demand of additional documents, online application for state registration, etc.)

Draft law on modification of some legal acts. The document voted in the first reading is linked to the closing of the administrative military department of the Ministry of Defence and takeover of competences regarding administrative military activity (conduct of administrative military activity in the territory, establishing and payment of pensions and indemnities to retirees of the Armed Forces and their families) by the General Staff of the National Army. The draft is also conditioned by optimisation of administrative military leadership and activity in compliance with Chapter VI of the 2^nd Stage (2005–08) of the military reform concept approved under the Parliament Decision # 1315-XV from July 26, 2002.

Draft law on modification and completion of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova. The amendments aim to introduce harsher punishments for offences against children (illegal adoption, infantile pornography).

Parliamentary control. Statements

The chairman of the Parliament has promised to start controlling the execution of laws at plenary sittings of the legislature in late October. Commission chairmen must raise proposals until then regarding ways to conduct the control and the laws which will be verified accordingly to individual priorities.

Hearings

The Parliament has heard and debated on a report regarding the situation of agriculture and Government’s measures against the 2007 drought. Parliamentary opposition representatives described the actions of authorities as insufficient and inefficient, while seeking the aid of the international community is a premature step which deteriorates Moldova’s image.

Questions. Interpellations

OMA Deputy Anatolie Onceanu has asked the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the Centre for the Struggle Against Economic Crimes and Corruption and the electronic media watchdog CCA to report if the airing frequency of the second national TV network (earlier owned by the Romanian Television Society) was legally awarded. In a second interpellation Onceanu asked the Government to report what provisions of the regulation on use of the reserve fund it has followed to distribute finances for the Culture Caravan in 2005–07, and demanded the Chamber of Auditors to control if the public funds used for this project have been legally and efficiently spent.

Christian Democratic Deputy Ion Varta has demanded information regarding the taking of credits from international financiers, when the situation on domestic market is favourable and there is a significant budgetary surplus. He demanded explanations, motivations, arguments regarding these credits; he wants to know the reimbursement conditions, interest rate, distribution mechanism, transparency, auctions, and the beneficiaries of these credits. Also, Varta asked the prosecutor-general and the prime minister to control if the persons in charge with publishing the official gazette Monitorul Oficial act legally, as they did not want for one month to publish the CCA decision on confirmation of Mr. Vlad Turcanu as CCA chairman.

Deputy Vladimir Filat has asked the Government to report the situation of students who visited the United States within the Work and Travel Programme and the situation regarding the resumption of wine exports to the Russian Federation.

Communist parliamentarian Victor Stepaniuc has asked the Government to take a position of principle towards Moldova-Romania relations.

Statements

Deputy Vitalia Pavlcenco has read a declaration by the National Liberal Party “concerning irresponsible statements delivered by President Vladimir Voronin after the local elections,” expressing a deep concern with the anti-democratic actions of the chief of state.

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