Activity of the Parliament on March 1–15, 2011

Events of major importance

Draft law cancelling the right of the police to get house rent-related compensation

The Parliament approved a draft law to modify Article 40 of the law on police, in a move to cancel the right of policemen to the house rent-related compensation, if they are not provided housing. The Government says that the right of police bodies to housing was removed from legislation and the law does not stipulate any longer the obligation to provide housing or any compensation for this purpose. Although the executive assured that the draft has a technical nature, related debates fuelled bitter criticism and statements by the opposition, with PCRM deputies accusing the parliamentary majority of adopting an unconstitutional document which attempts on the rights of police organs and thus jeopardises the public security. According to reports by PCRM representatives, the cancellation of previous facilities brought more than 2,000 dismissal reports by officers and subofficers to the Interior Ministry, with similar processes being recorded in the Information and Security Service and State Guard and Protection Service. Representatives of the parliamentary majority replied that the previous regulations could not be enforced and maintaining them in force would produce appeals to law courts and ECHR decisions against Moldova. Only 45 deputies representing the parliamentary majority voted this draft law in the first reading.

Legislative policies

Law approving the development strategy on the non-bank financial market for 2010–2013 and the action plan on implementation of the strategy. The strategy sets the state policy on the non-bank financial market, makes clear the necessary reforms in the area with the purpose to ensure a sustainable development of the non-bank financial market and turn it into an efficient instrument to attract and distribute investments. According to developers, the implemented strategy will boost the transparency, the protection of interests of participants in the non-banking financial market, will reduce afferent risks and will enhance the efficiency in the area.

Law concerning the border-crossing delivery of personal information. The Parliament adopted derogation from Article 16 of the law concerning the protection of personal data, in terms of border-crossing delivery of personal information to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and State Archive Service of Moldova. The data will be provided to consider World War II crimes, the way the majority of European states had done with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. The US side will cover the expenses afferent to the enforcement of these regulations.

Laws on ratification of some international acts:

The United Nations Convention concerning privileges and immunities of specialised agencies;
The Protocol to the partnership and cooperation agreement on establishment of a partnership between the Republic of Moldova on one hand and the European Communities and member states on the other hand regarding a Moldova-EU framework agreement on general principles of participation of Moldova in the EU programmes;

Draft law concerning the industrial security of dangerous industrial facilities. The draft sets legal and economic grounds for functioning of dangerous industrial facilities in secure and feable conditions, and aims to prevent disasters and to train economic agents to locate, prevent and clean up consequences of accidents at dangerous industrial facilities.

Parliamentary control. Statements

Reports

Deputy Premier Eugen Carpov informed lawmakers in connection with the incident which took place on March 2, 2011 in the village of Corjova, district of Dubasari, as Transnistrian police bodies held the mayor of this village and a local councillor during manifestations dedicated to the Day of Remembrance.

Representatives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and European Integration released reports regarding:

The future visa liberalisation agreement with the EU;
The implementation of the existing Moldova-EU visa facilitation agreement;
The takeover of the chairmanship in the International Organisation for Democracy and Economic Development GUAM by Moldova;
The process of delimitation and demarcation of the Moldova-Ukraine border.

Questions. Appeals

PDM MP Igor Corman asked the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and European Integration to provide information regarding respect for decision-making transparency by the ministry. His request is based on the Report on monitoring of the decision-making transparency in competent central organs of public administrationRO worked out by ADEPT.
PCRM MP Alexandru Petcov asked the Parliament Administration to provide information regarding the tender held to select a mobile telephony operator to provide services to the Parliament in the framework of a corporate package, as well as concerning sources to cover these expenses.
PLDM MP Valeriu Ghiletchi asked the Health Ministry to provide information regarding insulin-related problems faced by patients suffering from diabetes.
PCRM MP Artur Resetnicov asked the Parliament administration to explain why the income declarations by deputies were not published, as well as to provide information regarding the functioning of the website of legislature.
PCRM MP Grigore Petrenco asked the Prosecutor-General’s Office to investigate the illegitimate introduction of some texts in the law on licence-based regulation of entrepreneurship and components of forgery or power abuse offences.
PDM MP Valentina Stratan demanded information regarding respect for the law on tobacco and eventual sanctions for violation of prohibitive regulations.
PCRM MP Artur Resetnicov asked the head of the Information and Security Service to explain the legality of telephone call by lawmaker Mihai Ghimpu and to present live the answer regarding the crossing of state border and stay of a foreign citizens (named Gadaffi) in Moldova.

Statements

PLDM MP Tudor Deliu presented a statement by PLDM faction regarding the commemoration of the 2^nd of March 1992, the beginning of battles for independence and integrity of the country.
PCRM MP Grigore Petrenco read a statement concerning visa issue and violation of the Moldova-EU visa facilitation agreement, which entered into force on January 1, 2008.

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