Activity of the President on March 5–18, 2007

Decrees

President Vladimir Voronin has recalled Eugen Carpov from post of head of the Diplomatic Mission of Moldova to the European Commission. No reason was made public.

The chief of state has awarded the Labour Glory order to Mihail Martinenco, judge of the Supreme Court of Justice.

The chief of state has signed decrees on negotiation of a visa facilitation agreement between Moldova and the European Community and negotiation of an agreement on readmission of illegal migrants between Moldova and the European Community.

Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Meeting with members of the Constitutional Court

Participating in the ceremony of awarding identity papers to new judges of the Constitutional Court, the chief of state has reiterated the idea to allow citizens to appeal to the court. According to a press release, citizens should hold this right “when they do not agree with judgments.” Vladimir Voronin noted that a working group headed by Deputy Speaker Maria Postoico was recently created to draft amendments to legislation aimed to help national courts resolve the problems and prevent the appeals upon international justice.^[1]

College of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce

The president said that “all economic policies and their implementation depend much on the Ministry of Economy and Commerce” and its role must grow in continuation. Speaking about main directions of economic activity, Voronin specified the obligation of building a “social state” and noted the essential role of the ministry in accomplishing the European integration goal. Voronin called upon ministerial specialists to speed up the implementation of the second stage of the “guillotine law” for an essential liberalisation of economic activities. The minister of economy and commerce said in a report presented at the sitting that the ministry forecasts a 5-percent growth of Gross Domestic Product for 2007, compared with 4 percent in 2006, as well as the reduction of inflation rate down to 10 percent, compared with 14.1 percent in late 2006. As regards the foreign trade, the ministry forecasts a 19-percent rise and predicts that imports will grow by 17 percent in 2007.

New sitting on combat of corruption in education sector

Vladimir Voronin has chaired a new sitting on combat of corruption, but it focussed this time on a study regarding situation in higher education sector, worked out by unknown authors “at the initiative of the Presidency.” Rectors of educational institutions were told that the study “has demonstrated a major danger faced by state’s morality,” revealing that corruption prevails in all fields of higher learning: in studies, distribution of rooms to students in hostels, issuance of diplomas, renting of free rooms in buildings of universities, etc. Responsible persons misused the authority, abused of influence, gave and took bribes, etc., in all these fields. According to the chief of state, institutions of higher learning admit many incapable students who cannot find jobs after graduation because of a very big difference between their successes at university and professional competences. The corruption in high schools developed in 2006, when the regulation on admission on basis of average mark of baccalaureate examinations was accepted. Also in 2006, students with very low average marks were admitted at institutions of higher learning in detriment of many candidates with much higher marks. Voronin noted that corruption acts involve many students, porters, guardians. According to the study, this situation is linked to very low salaries of professors, exaggerated materials that students must learn, imperfect curricula, as well as social mentality manifested by wish to raise many material means. The chief of state sought a higher number of professors in institutions and introduction of information systems in the examination and evaluation process as solutions to these problems. Rectors of institutions of higher learning will have to work out and table action plans against corruption in their institutions by April 10, 2007 and they will be implemented in institutions after a survey by international organisations.

↑ A draft law on this issue was earlier worked out, but opposition parliamentary factions turned it down in 2006, saying among others that it aims to limit the access to international justice. The idea of authorities envisages concrete breaches committed particularly by law courts, but it does not seek a general extension, allowing the contesting of any legal and normative acts that violate the rights of citizens.

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