Activity of the President on February 16–29, 2008

Decrees

Under a presidential decree, Alexei Tulbure was recalled as representative of Moldova to the U.N. and the reasons were not made public.

Moldovan president has awarded the Honoured Man medal to Mircea Surdu, editor-coordinator of the TV programme department of the public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova.

Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Concerns with implementing some laws

Moldovan president has convoked a sitting on updating of the legislation regulating the adoption procedure, which discussed a draft law on legal status of adoption. It was noted the importance of making clear competences of authorities in charge with adoption, more strictly monitoring the child and family in the post-adoption period. Vladimir Voronin asked the Government to urgently finalise the draft law and a set of legal acts needed to efficiently enforce this law.

Commentary by ADEPT: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recently debated a report on adoptions in European states, recommending the revision of restrictive and faulty regulations in this area.

The Presidency hosted on February 18 a new sitting on difficulties of implementing amendments to the law on entrepreneur’s patent. It studied the situation related to the implementation of the Law # 208-XVI from 07.07.2006 and the evolution of the state of things after previous talks. According to a report, many patent holders who fall under the incidence of the first two stages of implementation of the law concerned have met the law and changed their organisation form. At the same time, competent authorities have taken measures to facilitate the implementation of the third stage of the law, which will begin on January 1, 2009 and will cover most of patent holders. The chief of state reiterated the importance of implementing the law concerned, which aims to ensure equal conditions and a loyal competitive framework for all economic agents in domestic trade sector. Speaker of the Parliament said that majority of political forces represented in the Moldovan legislature, as well as extra-parliamentary parties have realised the need of implementing the Law # 208/2006. Vladimir Voronin demanded more decisive actions to stir up the dialogue between regulatory authorities and regulation subjects, including the Small Business Association, with the purpose to facilitate the law implementation mechanism. Also, the chief of state indicated the opportunity of continuing consultations on elaboration of amendments to the Law # 208/2006, in order to remedy difficulties related to implementation of the third stage of the law.

Actions dedicated to the Year of the Youth

On February 29, President Voronin addressed a ceremony which opened the Year of the Youth, assuring that youths are in the top of political agenda and explaining the difference between the Year of the Youth and other years. In particular, he promised that the number of state-funded seats in professional institutions will increase by 30 percent; financial assistance will be provided to develop 1,000 businesses of youths; the indemnity paid to young specialists who will accept jobs in rural areas will be increased (up to 50,000 lei for graduates from higher education, up to 40,000 lei for graduates from professional education); financial assistance will be provided for the housing of young families.

Moldova’s president visited the University called Higher Anthropologic School and met there students and professors.

While on a visit to the National College of Viticulture and Winemaking in Chisinau, Voronin was deeply concerned with the unsatisfactory technical-material basis of this institution and promised that the college will be renovated and modernised. Accordingly to Voronin’s indications, a special action plan will be implemented with the participation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, Building and Territorial Development Agency, Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre.

Viennese forum in Chisinau

Moldovan president has attended the Viennese Economic Forum in Chisinau and noted radical changes in political, economic and social system of Moldova, affirmation of democratic norms and market nature of national economy. According to Voronin, Moldova respects investors much and its president does not know any case in the history of the independent Moldova when a serious foreign investor ceased its business and withdrew from the economic area.

Delivery of agricultural machines

On February 29 the chief of state attended a ceremony to deliver agricultural machines purchased as part of the 2KR Project financed by Japanese Government to beneficiaries. The lot includes 150 agricultural machines which will complete 29 new Technological Machine Stations (TMS). Voronin highly appreciated the 2KR Project, stressing the obligation of strictly respecting the commitments assumed by Moldovan side within the partnership with Japanese Government. It was noted that TMSs help ensuring farmers with more mechanised services, consolidating fields, implementing modern technologies. The opening of 178 TMSs until now helped consolidating more than 278,000 hectares of farm land and another 50 TMSs will open in 2008 to provide mechanised services in viticulture, fruit growing and irrigation sectors.

Talks on NIT

Moldovan president has stated the following during the periodical programme Talks With The President aired by the TV channel NIT:

The “Five-Plus-Two” negotiations on Transnistrian conflict will restart soon, with mediators and observers being expected to discuss a package of documents which have been drafted and delivered to the sides;
Negotiations are expected to be longer than usually, they could be held in Helsinki or Sankt-Petersburg, and they could be scheduled soon;
European institutions have appreciated efforts to implement the E.U.-Moldova Action Plan until now, but they will make a final assessment on April 9;
A document is being drafted to regulate E.U.-Moldova relations, and it could stipulate more concrete and clear stages;
Moldova has implemented some planned actions in the process of advancement forward E.U., in particular, it was awarded a facilitated E.U. visa regime; signed the agreement on Autonomous Trade Preferences; the Common Visa Application Centre has opened in Chisinau;
According to Voronin, Moldova will ensure the circulation of capital and the circulation of services, which are part of the four fundamental E.U. freedoms;
The March 15-scheduled PCRM Congress will be open and transparent and it will be available on line for other countries;
The new PCRM Programme is modern, covers at least 30 years and stipulates the European aspirations of the party;
Moldova’s decision not to recognise the declaration on Kosovo’s independence from Serbia was linked both to the unsettled Transnistrian conflict and violation of the building principle of a country (ethnic instead of territorial). These two reasons prevail on Moldova’s possible relations with certain states which recognised Kosovo’s independence;
Moldova wants good neighbourhood relations with Romania and previous disagreements shall be forgotten;
Moldova has become an attractive country for investments due to liberal reforms in economy; struggle against corruption and crime, with investments growing up to 540 million dollars in 2007;
The internal logic of privatisation was changed, so that to collect more revenues to the state budget from sale of public properties;
The political opposition must demonstrate its capacity to work and resolve problems, manifesting themselves in localities they rule, etc.

Insufficiency of honorific titles

Vladimir Voronin has submitted a draft law to the Parliament which introduces the honorific titles Artist of People, Honoured Artist and Honoured Band by modifying the Law # 1123-XII from June 30, 1992 concerning state medals of the Republic of Moldova. The president considers that the present state award system does not provide enough possibilities to encourage personalities who have special merits to build cultural and artistic values, and there are no possibilities to morally stimulate artistic bands.

Commentary by ADEPT: Article 12 of the law on state awards stipulates four honorific titles of Moldova: Master Faur; Master of Literature; Master of Arts and Honoured Man. The law on medals has been modified five times during Voronin’s two mandates, in order to allow the awarding of legal functionaries and introduce new distinctions^[1]:

The Honour Order;
The Faith to the Homeland Order of three classes;
The Nicolae Testemitanu Medal;
Jubilee medals (the 60^th anniversary of liberation of Moldova from fascist occupation).

In late 2007 the Government (GD # 1363/2007) allocated 175,260 lei to the Moldovan president’s apparatus from the reserve fund to cover the cost of elaboration and manufacturing of state distinctions and items. Under the Government Decision # 305/2005, the Government Apparatus was allocated 615,734 lei from the reserve fund to manufacture columns for the Order of the Republic, straps for honorific titles and print citations for renovated distinctions.

↑ The Law # 1123-XII was modified twice in 1992–2001 (the Labour Glory and Gratitude to Homeland orders, as well as the Honoured Man title were introduced).

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