The integrity statements signed by the members of the Filip Government should have been countersigned by representatives of civil society. Furthermore, the package with all the Cabinet’s integrity statements should have been stored by an NGO, said participants in a roundtable meeting that brought together representatives of state bodies and civil society and journalists, IPN reports.
Head of the “Pro dialog” Center Lilia Snegureac said that regardless of how the Filip Government was voted in, civil society can make an essential contribution to working out policies. “We realize that the integrity statement is a document that imposes no obligations. It should have been countersigned by civil society and its representatives could have been elected by the Government. Now these statements can be considered null and void,” she stated.
Executive director of the Association of Independent Press Petru Macovei noted that neither the authorities, not the persons who make statements about integrity promotion realize the essence of the integrity conception. “Any public functionary should take care of his reputation as of the most precious value because the people vote in elections taking into account the reputation,” he stated.
Minister of Environment Valeriu Munteanu said that the integrity statement for him is important from symbolic viewpoint. “I don’t think that the situation would have been different if the statement had been signed in public. I’m ready to answer for any letter written there and any action taken as a minister,” he said.
According to the expert of the Center for Analysis and Prevention of Corruption Mariana Kalughin, when the issue of integrity is discussed, the discussion often slides to the remit of the National Integrity Commission as this represents more than the declaration of incomes, property and personal interests. “Integrity means probity, honesty, honor and dignity, which not always can be tested because there is a supreme value – the professional reputation,” she said.
The public debate was organized by the Association of Independent Press and the anticorruption portal moldovacurata.md and forms part of a series of events held under the aegis of Soros Foundation Moldova.
