The 2017 spring-summer session of Parliament ended on July 31. Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu said the legislative body during this session produced about 2,000 reports, appraisals and amendments to legal acts. There were adopted 125 laws and 47 decisions, while 135 bills were passed in the first reading. Among the most important adopted laws were those to improve the legislation on the financial-baking sector, to strengthen the capacities of the National Bank of Moldova, to better regulate the energy market, to improve the business by excluding particular inspections and reducing the number of required permissive documents, to introduce the meal voucher system, the new law on terrorism fighting and the changes made in the audiovisual sector and in the electoral system. In a news conference, members of the parliamentary group of the Liberal Democratic Party said the session that ended on July 31 was one of the most shameful one and will remain a painful one for the people. According to the Libs-Dems, the government, supported by the Socialists, achieved its own goals, paving the way for the legislative elections of 2018 and ignoring the real problems of the country. They said they could mount protests in autumn and would call for civil disobedience if the illegalities continue.
President Igor Dodon on August 1-4 rested on Mount Athos in Greece, while during August 5-8 will be on a visit to Iran to take part in the inauguration of President-elect Hassan Rouhani.
The chief of the General Police Inspectorate Alexandru Panzari on August 1 announced that three members of the Political Party “Our Party” (PPPN) started to be followed by the police after they spoke over the phone about the organization of provocations on the night before the July 30 protest. According to him, following the telephone discussions between the three members of the party on the eve of the protest, banners and brochures denigrating the leader of the Party “Dignity and Truth” Andrei Nastase appeared on Stefan cel Mare Blvd. For its part, the PPPN denied the statements made by the police, describing these as calumnious and provoking. The PPPN leaders said they will demand that the prosecutor general should determine the legality of the wiretapping of telephone discussions and will sue the chief of the General Police Inspectorate for defamation and spreading of false statements.
The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office completed the investigation and on August 1 sent to court the criminal case against former MP Kirill Luchinski, who was arrested two months ago in the case of the frauds committed at Banca de Economii, Banca Sociala and Unibank. The ex-MP, being the manager and effective beneficiary of Toast Delux SRL and IPA International Project Agency, aiming to obtain funds stolen from the Moldovan banking system, laundered money together with other accomplices. Money laundering carries a penalty of up to ten years’ imprisonment. The ex-MP is also investigated for not declaring in his tax returns ownership of Toast Delux SRL and IPA International Project Agency and the money transferred to the accounts of the two companies, which was used for personal purposes, to pay for the studies of his children abroad. Kirill Luchinski pleads not guilty.
The Cabinet on August 2 approved a decision on the imposition of restrictive measures on the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin. According to Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur, Rogozin made a number of public statements that are unfriendly, denigrating and offensive to Moldova and its people. In an interview for the TV channel “Rossia 24”, Dmitry Rogozin made assertions that defame Moldova and the country’s citizens. He also made statements insulting the Moldovan authorities. The restrictive measures consist of bans on entering and transiting the Republic of Moldova. Prime Minister Pavel Filip said in this connection that the statements made by Rogozin are inacceptable. President Igor Dodon stated the decision by the Moldovan authorities to declare Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin persona non-grata in the Republic of Moldova is an act of great political stupidity, noting this is detrimental to the Republic of Moldova and its citizens. The same day, Moldova’s Ambassador to Russia Andrei Neguta was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin told the Moldovan diplomat that they categorically oppose the Moldovan Government’s decision by which Deputy Premier Dmitry Rogozin was declared undesirable on Moldova’s territory.
The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office on August 2 sent to court the criminal case started against the former deputy minister of economy Valeriu Triboi, who is accused of abuse of power and causing of considerable damage to the state budget. Currently, the ex-deputy minister is investigated under house arrest. If his blame is proven, he will be fined or jailed for up to six years and barred from holding particular posts or performing particular activities for a period of five to ten years. The anticorruption prosecutors filed a civil lawsuit whereby they seek compensation of the damage caused by the offense, estimated at 2.5 million lei, which is to be collected from the defendant if he is found guilty.
The former head of the Chisinau Transport Division Igor Gamretski on August 3 was sentenced to two years in a semi-closed type prion for influence peddling. The court also banned Gamretski from holding public posts for a period of three years. After the sentence was passed, Igor Gamretski said the decision will be appealed to the higher court, noting he didn’t’ expect such a harsh punishment. The prosecutor in this case Dumitru Robu said the punishment will start to be applied when a definitive judgment is passed.
The parents of the newborn from Balti who was to be taken illegally out of Moldova and the German woman who planned to take the child on August 3 were sentenced to 15, 17 and 18 years in prison for trafficking in children. According to the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases, since the end of 2016 until February 2017 the child’s parents received money and benefits from the German woman for giving her the baby for adoption. After she was transmitted the baby, the German woman kept this for eight days in an apartment rented in Balti municipality and later traveled to the Leuseni-Albita customs post to leave for Germany together with the baby.
The Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases completed the investigation and on August 4 sent to court the criminal case started against former MP Iurie Bolboceanu over treason. The ex-MP is accused of collecting and furnishing information of national interest that can be used to harm Moldova during October 2016 – March 2017, being recruited by expert officers of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, in exchange for reward. If he is found guilty of treason, Iurie Bolboceanu will serve 12 to 20 years in jail.
Selection by Elena Nistor
