The National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) will be managed directly by the Government, not by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry as now. Such an amendment to the legislation was approved by the Government, IPN reports.

The analysis of the first months of the work at the ANSA revealed certain shortcomings in the functioning of the mechanism for coordinating and taking decisions in the process of fulfilling the professional duties. It was established that the lack of swiftness in the actions taken by the Agency as regards violations of the food safety and consumer protection rules is due to the fact that this inspection authority does not enjoy real autonomy.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov, who made considerable effort for the ANSA to be created, said that transferring the Agency under the Government’s administration will be a mistake, but didn’t provide explanations.

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Industry Dacian Ciolos, who visited Moldova recently, also said that the institution should be managed by the Government so as to ensure a greater degree of independence.

The National Food Safety Agency is the only authority that monitors the safety of food products. It was founded in order to avoid the doubling of the inspection and supervision duties that a year ago were performed by different institutions.