A common automated information system for following the movement of the Moldovans abroad will be set up by September 15. Such an ordinance was issued by President Vladimir Voronin on July 24, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the presidential press service. The system is devised by the National Bureau of Statistics in concert with the Ministry of the Interior, the Border Guard Service and the Ministry of Information Development. The head of state instructed the Ministry of the Interior to appoint persons in charge of the activities aimed at preventing and combating trafficking in persons and illegal migration at every district police commissariat by August 1. Deputy Prime Minister Victor Stepaniuc, the president of the national committee for combating trafficking in human beings, said that there is no conclusive statistical data and analytical activities about this phenomenon, including as regards the legal cases involving officials. According to him, the incomplete character of the data provided by the travel agencies “could mean that certain travel firms are involved in human trafficking”. Minister of Culture and Tourism Artur Cozma and the head of the Licensing Chamber Zinaida Chistruga said that 67 travel companies lost their licenses as a result of the inspections carried out this year rent. Many of the decisions to withdraw the licenses had been appealed to court and some of the licenses were given back. Prosecutor General Valeriu Gurbulea said that the non-qualitative prosecution based mainly on the evidence of the victims is one of the drawbacks that hinders the identification and liquidation of the offences related to human trafficking. The insufficient protection of the victims of trafficking in persons and the inefficient repatriation activities are also among the shortcomings. Minister of the Interior Valentin Mejinschi said that 507 offences related to human trafficking had been discovered in 2007 and 352 cases in the first half of this year.