The Government has prolonged the term of issuing free ID cards to the citizens living on the left bank of the Nistru, till December 31. The initial deadline was July 1, 2009, Info-Prim Neo reports. The term has been prolonged as proposed by the Informational Development Ministry. The ID cards issuing procedures have been simplified for the Transnistrians. “Half of the population in the area – 258,700 – already has Moldovan ID cards or passports,” said Ion Lupan, an official of the Ministry for Economy and Commerce. The idea was backed by the Ministries of Economy and Reintegration, but was rejected by the Ministries of Justice and Finances, which invoked additional expenses, not envisaged in the public budget. Info Development Minister Pavel Buceatchi told the Government's sitting that his Ministry would undertake the necessary measures to insure the process of issuing documents to the people living in the eastern districts. Premier Zinaida Grecianai showed herself unsatisfied that the draft decision was submitted too late and ordered to punish the guilty. According to estimative data, there are 527,500 inhabitants living in the eastern districts and Bender, of which 428,900 are over 16.