Activity of the President on October 1–31, 2008

Decrees

Under a presidential decree, Marc Tkaciuk was relieved from the office of presidential advisor for political affairs on October 16, 2008 in connection with a new job (Mr. Tcaciuk will be in charge with organising the PCRM electoral campaign). Under another decree, Sergiu Stati, former Moldovan ambassador to Ukraine, was appointed presidential advisor for political affairs.

Valeriu Balaban was relieved from the office of presidential advisor with special missions for the coordination of external assistance “in connection with a new job”.

Valentin Mejinschi was relieved from the office of interior minister and appointed Deputy Prime Minister without portofolio. Under another presidential decree, Gheorghe Papuc, former interior minister in 2002–2008, was appointed Interior Minister.

The distinction “Ordinul Republicii” (Order of the Republic) was awarded to Ozea Rusu, director of the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Note by ADEPT: According to previous media investigations, Ozea Rusu has an affinity relationship with Moldovan president’s daughter.

The “Gloria Muncii” (Labour Glory) Order was awarded to:

Vladimir TURCAN, Chairman of the parliamentary legal commission for rules and immunities;
Gheorghe Russu, director-general of the National Health Insurance Company.

The “Credinta Patriei” (Faith to Homeland) Order was awarded to Igor BODORIN, director of the State Protection and Guard Service.

In connection with the end of his mission to Moldova, Mr. Ray Virgilio Torres, Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund in Moldova, was awarded the Honour Order.

The Civic Merit Medal was awarded to Viorel Cojocaru, deputy directorate chief in the Government Apparatus.

Two presidential decrees accepting the renunciation of Moldovan citizenship by 189 persons were published on October 3, 2008.

Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Meeting of the National Commission for European Integration (NCEI)

An NCEI sitting on October 21, 2008 heard a report on results of the Moldova-European Union Cooperation Committee and October 3 informal consultations on the new agreement. Also, it heard information regarding:

The implementation of the action plan on human rights for 2004–2008, with the chief of state proposing the elaboration of a new document on state policy concerning this area;
The elaboration of a new draft law on prosecutor’s office (it was demanded to urgently promote the draft, so that to adopt it by the end of this year);
The monitoring of the situation relating to declaration of incomes by public functionaries in terms to prevent and combat the corruption. The chief of state signalled the inefficiency of existing mechanisms in the field, demanding their improving;
The situation related to transparency of websites of public authorities in terms of institutional budgets, public procurements and vacancies. The chief of state stressed the necessity of respecting the legislation by all state institutions and ensuring a complete opening by public bodies.

Following discussions, the Commission decided as follows: 1) the special interdepartmental coordination group will approve measures needed to resolve the problems signalled at the last meeting of the EU-Moldova Cooperation Committee; 2) a working group led by the Ministry of Justice will work out by March 15, 2009 a new action plan on human rights, foreseeing an efficient monitoring and evaluation mechanism; 3) the Prosecutor-General’s Office will urgently finalise the draft law on prosecutor’s office accordingly to European norms; 4) a working group of the CCECC will study international practices on declaration of incomes and estates; 5) public authorities will update its official websites within one month and will publish information about institutional budgets and public procurements.

Sitting of the National Commission for the Year of the Youth

According to a report presented at the sitting, 82 percent of the planned actions have been achieved or are being executed. The following actions have been executed:

Actions aimed to increase the access to education through a 30-percent rise of state scholarships in institutions of higher learning and secondary professional institutions;
The launching of the economic rehabilitation programme for youths;
The implementation of the youth employment programme;
Actions aimed to encourage and motivate the performance of students;
Sport actions;
Social sustenance actions;
Amnesty of some categories of young detainees;
The attraction of youths in a socio-cultural dialogue with the participation of representatives from both banks of the Dniester, etc.

The chief of state welcomed the course of implementation the Programme of action for the Year of the Youth and stressed the necessity of finalising draft normative and legislative acts on youth, which are being prepared. Immediate tasks to be fulfilled in order to sustain youths include among others the rise of scholarships for professional education institutions of all levels; the approval of a regulation on state-funded education on the basis of a contest, depending on the results of an academic year; the approval of the draft on free housing of young specialists who will be employed in rural areas. In a move to facilitate the employment of youths, it was stressed the importance of opening a national information centre to inform youths in connection with the labour market, enhancing the dialogue between public administration authorities. Vladimir Voronin demanded data on development of businesses that youths have started up within the national economic rehabilitation programme, stressing the importance of sustaining young entrepreneurs to develop their business as well, not only to start it up. It was also stressed the necessity of analysing the development of the Action Programme on the Year of the Youth, so that to include the problems and opportunities to settle them into the Youth Strategy for 2009–2013.

Reorganisation of the Stauceni-based College

Moldova’s president has convoked a sitting on reorganisation of the National College of Viticulture and Winemaking and preparation of this institution to work on winter. It was reconfirmed the importance of maintaining and developing the college as main secondary education institution providing the national economy with vine growers and winemakers. The chief of state indicated the necessity to work out a programme on modernisation and consolidation of the technical-material base of the institution and preparations for the 170^th anniversary of the college.

Arrangement of Valea Morilor park

A presidency-hosted sitting has brought together minister of construction and area development, minister of environment and natural resources, head of the Chisinau Municipal Council, with participants sharing opinions about current situation and prospects to implement a project on arrangement of the park Valea Morilor. According to the provided information, the technical council in charge with monitoring the reconstruction of the lake Valea Morilor has studied all opinions about ways to clean up the lake and decided to openly clean the lake. Initiatives to clean up the lake by using hydrant were described as groundless, since draining the lake by using this method could last 10 years. Reports that heavy medals have been discovered on the floor of the lake are untrue and, therefore, the mud is evacuated again and stored in the industrial area Pruncul. Vladimir Voronin stressed the necessity to achieve the first round of arrangement of the Valea Morilor park, so that to start actions for the second round of the project next spring. Given the importance of the project, it was decided to recommend the Government “to find the necessary funds in the state budget.”

Reconstruction of the republican creative centre for children and youth

The chief of state has visited the republican creative centre for children and youths, in order to collect facts about reconstruction works there. So far, engineering networks have been built, assembled and renovated. Exterior works will be finished and the centre will be further connected to natural gas and hearing networks. Concomitantly with the reconstruction process, furniture and equipment for the institution are being purchased and other facilities of the creative centre are being projected. Mr. Voronin instructed competent authorities to accelerate the first reconstruction round, so that to complete it by the end of 2008, accordingly to initial tasks. It was stressed the necessity to exactly respect the reconstruction technologies in order to ensure a high security of the building.

New promises for teachers

The president of Moldova has attended a festivity dedicated to the professional day of teachers, stating as follows:

The contingent of students at pedagogical faculties has increased by about 22 percent in 2004–2008, with the number of students attending master’s degree reaching 18,000 persons;
Only about 9 percent of all teachers at kindergartens are young, while schools and high schools lack approximately 2,000 teachers;
The Government has recently finished a draft decision which says that young teachers who will be assigned to rural areas will be provided free housing and will become owners of the residence after three years of work, accordingly to the contract;
Wages of teachers have been increased 4-fold in 2001–2007, the consolidated budget for education has grown 4.4-fold in 2001–2008, and 5.8 billion lei was foreseen for 2009, by 40 percent more than in 2008;
The new Education Code will ensure the realignment of the structure and composition of the national education system to European norms and stipulates actions aimed to raise the status of teachers in society, inclusively by raising salaries. Wages of teachers shall reach the medium salary on economy (the medium wage in education shall gradually reach 3,140 lei by September 1, 2009);
Under the Education Code, constitutional regulations on free education in state institutions of higher learning will be enforced starting 2009, and this shall optimise the number of students, raise scholarships and wages, provide modern education and accommodation conditions, improve professional education.

Modernisation of transport infrastructure

A Presidency-hosted sitting has considered the development of road renovation and building projects, set up objectives for next year, discussed existing problems and possibilities to resolve them. Among others:

It was noted the on time execution of building works at the Giurgiulesti — Cahul route, Baraboi — Riscani road and the road leading to the Holercani village, Dubasari district;
It was stressed the necessity of intensifying efforts in order to execute this year the rounds of the projects on construction of the road Cosnita-Pirita, routes Anenii Noi — Causeni — Stefan Voda and Comrat — Cimislia;
It was decided to give priority in 2009 to projects on construction of the routes Sarateni — Balti, Rezina — Orhei — Calarasi, Causeni — Stefan Voda and Comrat — Cimislia — Hincesti.

The chief of state has particularly sought a high quality of road building and renovation works, indicated the condition to attract experienced enterprises which have modern equipment and apply modern technologies in the road renovation and development process. Vladimir Voronin stressed the importance of improving the structure of institutions specialised in ensuring the exploitation of transportation networks.

Construction and renovation of cultural facilities

The chief of state has convoked a sitting on development of projects relating to construction or renovation of cultural facilities in districts of the country, hearing a report on the state of things in this area. President Voronin reiterated the importance of implementing the projects on construction or renovation of cultural facilities in the due time and by respecting quality criteria, and demanded the inclusion of cultural institutions organising intense cultural activities (competitions, festivals) into the list of cultural facilities to be renovated or built next year.

Redressing consequences of floods

According to updated data:

The humanitarian aid and the raised funds went to preparation of educational institutions from flooded localities for the new school year; the compensation of losses in agriculture; the purchase of houses and the needs of social institutions from areas his by natural disasters;
All families whose homes have been destroyed by floods were provided housing, with most of them receiving new residences. Families whose homes should be renovated were provided building materials;
Overall, 1,526,800 hectares of farm land of individuals have been flooded by Dniester and Proute and 10,000 lei was allocated per flooded hectare, with compensations exceeding 11 million lei.

The chief of state welcomed the actions taken by structures involved in remedying consequences of floods and stressed the necessity to start elaborating a safe mechanism for preventing negative effects of natural disasters in future. He stressed the importance of finalising a draft law on security of hydro-technical buildings and reiterated the need of making conditions to develop the insurance process in agriculture sector.

Access to broadband Internet

The Moldovan president has chaired a meeting on development of broadband Internet systems, with participants sharing opinions about development of telecommunication sector in general and Internet systems in particular. They stressed the necessity of joining the international telecommunication area accordingly to recommendations by the International Telecommunication Union. The chief of state noted the importance of developing the process of issuing strategic documents and demanded proposals and mechanisms to set up limited frequency diapasons in compliance with the new law on electronic communications. President Voronin stressed the importance of making competitive and optimal conditions for operators on telecommunication and electronic communication market, attracting investments in information and telecommunication technologies, enlarging services provided via the broadband Internet system.

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