IPN on June 19 published an OP-ED entitled “Venice Commission, mixed-member electoral system and European assistance”, signed by expert in political sciences Dionis Cenusa. According to the author, there are sufficient indexes showing that the PDM will try to maximally adjust the draft law on the mixed-member electoral system so as to satisfy at least partially the requests of the Venice Commission and, respectively, of the EU. The probability that the mixed-member system will be abandoned its very low. The politologist enumerates three groups of conditions without which the macro-financial assistance cannot be allocated by the EU to Moldova. These are very diverse and interdependent. Under the arrangements between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, only their simultaneous fulfillment will enable to initiate the assistance and to subsequently continue it. The first condition is actually a political precondition and is that the Republic of Moldova respects effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, the rule of law and guarantee respect for human rights. The second condition is to ensure satisfactory implementation of the program with the IMF, which contains important structural reforms, mainly in the financial sector. The third condition consists in the implementation of the Moldova-EU memorandum of understanding on macro-financial assistance, especially as regards the economic policies.
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The amendment of the Moldovan electoral system as proposed by the PDM and PSRM is unadvisable, according to the experts of the Venice Commission. As stated in the full text of the opinion published on June 19, the influencing of candidates in single mandate constituencies by local business interests and decreased representation for women are among the risks entailed by the new system. The authors of the opinion said that the draft law was passed rather swiftly in Parliament, without being openly and widely debated in society. According to the experts, the high number of votes with which the draft law passed indicates more a formal consensus and not real wide consensus shared by the rest of the political parties and civil society. The Commission doesn’t recommend implementing such a vast reform without a similarly vast consensus. The Venice Commission noted that it had issued a similar opinion in 2014, concerning the previous attempt to adopt the mixed electoral system and while most of the issues highlighted three years ago remain valid, the newly proposed system fails to address them. As such, the Commission finds the amendment of the electoral system according to the current draft unadvisable.
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Politologist and university teacher Mihai Cernencu considers the Venice Commission’s recommendations included in its opinion on the draft law for Moldova’s electoral system reform are reasonable. “Currently, given that there is no broad consensus in this regard, the Venice Commission formulated the most important conclusion – this serious system change is not opportune,” stated the politologist. According to Mihai Cernencu, the experts of the Venice Commission said it trenchantly that the mafia clans existing at the local level and at the central level as well will benefit from the mixed-member electoral system if this is introduced. “This was proven in the recent elections in Gagauzia, when the Democratic Party had only two candidates and in three days the party already had 27 deputies elected in the People’s Assembly in Comrat,” said the expert in political sciences.
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The verdict of the Venice Commission, even if it is critical, does not block the process of changing the electoral system, considers political analyst Corneliu Ciurea. The analyst said that as regards the broad consensus required for modifying the system, invoked in the Venice Commission opinion, in the Republic of Moldova this has never existed, regardless of the initiatives proposed for debates. The Venice Commission’s recommendations concerning the formation of constituencies, voting in the diaspora and the representation of women will be taken into account by the parliamentary majority and by those who want to support the electoral system change.
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Political analyst Victor Gurau considers the Venice Commission’s opinion on the electoral reform proposal contains clear recommendations on existing problems that take into account the political and territorial-administrative conjuncture because there is the Transnistrian issue and the problem of migration of Moldovans. However, the Venice Commission’s opinion is not free from major political influence on the part of MEPs. The analyst said a major resentment from European bureaucrats is felt in the Commission’s opinion. The political aspect is mainly felt when, after several pages of recommendations and technical-legal aspects, an allusion that can be interpreted by all the camps is made, namely that the change in the electoral system is not recommended at this moment. This formulation reveals political influence.
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Political analyst Roman Mihaes said the Venice Commission’s opinion is not negative, even if it is critical in parts. Asked by IPN to pronounce on this opinion, the analyst said a part of this criticism is reasonable and solutions should be identified to ensure voting in the Transnistrian region and in the diaspora and to also ensure the representation of women and national minorities. Roman Mihaes said the legal-technical recommendations included in the opinion of the Venice Commission should be introduced for the second reading. As the Venice Commission suggested, a board consensus should be achieved. Public consultations would be held, including on a parliamentary platform, by attracting the expertise of civil society, national and foreign experts.
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The government should understand that the draft law to change the electoral system in the form in which it is now cannot be voted in Parliament, considers political analyst Ion Tabarta, who noted that the government insists on the fact that the change in the electoral system is the prerogative of a sovereign state. The Venice Commission does not challenge this, but formulates very clear aspects that should be taken into account: opportunity, consensus and risks of a legal-technical character. The analyst said the government should improve the electoral system as it says that this is its goal, but no way based on the current bill. The debates on this draft law were rather artificial and weren’t debates with essence and content.
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The opinion of the Venice Commission emphasizes the dangers posed by the draft law to change the electoral system proposed by the current government. The Commission said it clearly that this reform is inopportune and should not be done. The debates that the government intends to stage to consider adjustments to the draft law cannot take place as the reform was compromised, stated programs director of the Center for Politics and Reforms Stefan Gligor. “It should be noted there is a danger that the candidates would be bought by persons who possess financial resources and use these to promote their interests. The powers of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the criteria for delimiting single-mandate constituencies are not clear. The CEC will have freedom to decide and, being under political influence, could establish electoral constituencies in the interests of the government. This would favor the ruling parties in the electoral process,” said Stefan Gligor.
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The Socialists’ proposal to introduce the mixed-member electoral system is a copy of the Democrats’ bill concerning the uninominal voting system and the European Union will harshly penalize the Republic of Moldova, said civic activist Valeriu Pasa, expert of the organization “WatcDog.MD”. Visarion Cheshuev said the EU’s stance should not bother us. “I think we exaggerate the weight of the European Union, the fact that the EU principles should be a benchmark for us. This is not so. The Republic of Moldova has very good maneuvering space. Not all the EU member states are organized based on the standards and principles worked out in Brussels,” stated the analyst.
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The reform process in the Republic of Moldova, macro-financial assistance from the European Union and the draft law to modify the electoral system were the main subjects discussed in Brussels by Prime Minister Pavel Filip and the President of European Council Donald Tusk. In the meeting, Pavel Filip underlined the importance of the EU’s macro-financial assistance, of continuing the budget support and the relations with the IMF. The Premier asked not to make a direct connection between the provision of the macro-financial assistance and the replacement of the electoral system because the Government and the European Commission fulfilled all the jointly agreed preconditions in this regard. For his part, Donald Tusk welcomed Moldova’s constant commitment to implement the European project and encouraged the Government of Moldova to further make effort to ensure the irreversibility of this course.
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“The Venice Commission has stated its opinion at the request of the Moldovan authorities and its recommendations should be followed to the letter. I share the Venice Commission’s opinion that the introduction of the mixed-member electoral system is a fundamental change that would pose serious risks to democracy and the rule of law in the current political context in Moldova,” Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said in a news conference held jointly with Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The European official referred also to the macro-financial assistance for the Republic of Moldova, noting the EU will continue to assess the state of democracy and the rule of law as a precondition for disbursing funds, if this operation is approved by all the EU institutions. “I don’t think it is a secret that the discussion of the electoral system is a key element in our assessment. We hope a solution will be found based on the result and the opinion of the Venice Commission. I think the statement of the Venice Commission was very and very clear – that this change is inappropriate in the current circumstances,” stated Johannes Hahn.
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President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio explained again what the institution he heads meant when it issued its critical opinion on the electoral system change in the Republic of Moldova. The official specified that the main recommendation of the Venice Commission was that the current electoral system should be preserved in Moldova. The Venice Commission warned that constituency members of parliament would be vulnerable to being influenced by business interests. ““It is not for the first time that the authorities of the Republic of Moldova decide to change the electoral system. An attempt was also made in 2013. They wanted to switch over from the proportional system to the mixed one. At that time they also asked for our opinion and we recommended not changing the system. They listened to us then. We now see a new attempt to return to that decision and the fears on which our recommendations are based are the same. Ultimately, the decision to change the electoral system or not is the sovereign right of the state,” said Gianni Buquicchio.
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The Republic of Moldova will not benefit from financing from the EU if it does not give up replacing the electoral system and does not follow the recommendations of the Venice Commission, Romanian MEP Cristian Preda said in a call-in during a TV program. According to the MEP, any deviation from the Venice Commission’s opinion will make the European institutions take a negative decision as to financing for the Republic of Moldova. ”We are ready to help the Republic of Moldova, but not to support a regime that changes the electoral systems in order to remain in power. In the Republic of Moldova, they do not understand this. We cannot seek money from European citizens for the political adventures in Chisinau,” said Cristian Preda.
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The European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade approved the recent agreement to provide 100 million in macro-financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova and the conditions of releasing this that was reached by the principal decision-making bodies of the EU. The Committee’s appraisal, which was published on June 20, notes the necessity of helping the Republic of Moldova so that it copes with the foreign financial needs and the duty of Chisinau to obey the democratic rules, including the multi-party parliamentary system. The European Commission will have to suspend or to annul any payment if the conditions are not met.
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The current Government and Parliament adopt a lot of very goods laws that are beneficial to the Republic of Moldova, but do not implement them, deputy head of the Chisinau local organization of the Party “Action and Solidarity” Vladimir Bolea stated in a talk show. According to the politician, when those from the West speak about the reform process in the Republic of Moldova, they do it based on the information presented to them by Moldovan officials, which shows that on paper the reforms exist. “There are one thousand and one extremely good laws, which are dictated by the Free Trade Agreement signed by the Republic of Moldova with the European Union. The fact that none of these laws are implemented is the biggest problem of the Republic of Moldova,” said Vladimir Bolea. He also said that the current ruling party, the Democratic Party, aims to thwart the country’s European course. That’s why reforms are not done.
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The change in the current electoral system is imperative because the country’s problems are mainly related to the political class of Moldova, said experts invited to a TV program. According to the dean of the State University’s Faculty of International Relations, Political and Administrative Sciences Alexandru Solcan, the political system in Moldova cannot be changed without replacing the electoral system. “The current system favored the political parties and declassed them. We remained without political parties in the true meaning of the word. They were turned into Ltds,” stated Alexandru Solcan. According to him, the old electoral system means that these parties run in elections with electoral lists and form parliaments and governments of Ltd type. Director of the Market Economy Institute Roman Chirca said the opposition parties want to benefit from the party-list proportional representation system because they do not accept other persons who could overshadow them.
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Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu reiterated the Democratic Party’s position that the current electoral system should be replaced and noted that the Venice Commission’s recommendations of a legal character will be respected. “The electoral system change is wanted by at least 60% of the people eligible to vote. On the one hand, there are democratic norms saying that the majority decides. On the other hand, political consensus is required. There has nerve been political consensus in the history of the Republic of Moldova. There is no consensus on the major issues. In the EU, all the decisions are taken by the majority,” stated the Speaker. Andrian Candu considers the experts of the Venice Commission shouldn’t have pronounced on the political aspect. He said there are already ideas as to the organization of single mandate constituencies and of voting in the diaspora. According to Andrian Candu, the draft law to change the electoral system has been the most debated one in the history of the Republic of Moldova.
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At least 15 remand prisons of local police sections are to be renovated. There will be purchased at least 25 units of transport for carrying persons in police custody. About 100 cells will be repaired and at least 200 employees will be trained in the observance of human rights. The measures are contained in a proposal that was presented by the Ministry of the Interior for public debates. The measures were formulated in the wake of the signing of the police reform financing agreement between the Government of Moldova and the European Commission through which the Government of Moldova pledged to implement a series of measures, including to improve the detention conditions of persons remanded in custody in accordance with the Penal Procedure Code and Contravention Code. The EU will contribute 85.2% of the funds needed for the purpose.
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The Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Chisinau Lucy Joyce was invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration on June 19 to clarify the recent visit to London made by leaders of the breakaway republic of Transnistria. The diplomat said that was a private visit organized by a student association that stages debates on issues of academic interest. The ambassador noted that representatives of the Foreign Office of the UK profited from the occasion and informed the leaders from the Security Zone about the official position of the British Government, which considers that the Transnistrian conflict should be settled by observing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, by giving a special status to Transnistria. In the meeting, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lilian Darii warned about the inopportunity of such actions in the future, invoking the negative effects generated by political stereotypes and the ill will of the representatives of the Transnistrian region.
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A business incubator was opened in Calarasi on June 19. This will house over 20 companies that will create at least 60 jobs. Currently, 15 companies have the status of resident companies, five of which will work in the production sector, while ten in the service sector. The incubator will provide logistic, counseling, training and financial services to companies and startups so that these could reach stability and autonomy. Aneil Singh, Head of the Operations Section of the EU Delegation to Moldova, said the entrepreneurs who will become residents of the business incubator will benefit from training, support and assistance in business from the European Union.
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Seven schools and kindergartens from Ungheni district switched from gas and coal to green energy supplied by a private company. The Ungheni District Council signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contract with a company. The PPP was launched thanks to a grant of 2,131,000 lei, allocated from the European funds of the Energy and Biomass Project. The selected entrepreneur for Ungheni is responsible to maintain five biomass heating systems installed with funding from the EU in the framework of the Moldova Energy and Biomass Project, set up two new green energy systems and performed energy efficiency works in several institutions. The total investments of the private company are valued at 1,000,000 lei. The beneficiaries of the Ungheni PPP’s are: schools from Bumbata, Zagarancea, Valea Mare, Sculeni, Harcesti and kindergartens from Floritoaia Veche, and Condratesti.
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The Republic of Moldova is 86% dependent on imported energy resources, while renewable energy represents slightly over 14% of the energy produced in the country. By 2020, Moldova aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 17%. The opportunities existing on the renewable energy market were discussed in the first energy efficiency forum that was held in Chisinau on June 22. This brought together over 60 entrepreneurs from both sides of the Nistru. The event was staged under the aegis of the Embassy of Italy in Moldova. Ambassador Valeria Biagiotti said the utilization of renewable energy will solve the problem of provision of the population with cheaper electrical energy and will create new jobs in the Republic of Moldova. Head of the Operations Section of the EU Delegation to Moldova Aneil Singh said energy efficiency offers possibilities to the public authorities and to businesses. The European Union invested and will yet invest in energy efficiency because a positive impact on the population, costs and the environment will be produced as a result.
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Georgia and Moldova this year celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. In an interview for IPN, the Ambassador of Georgia in the Republic of Moldova Merab Antadze said the European development path is the most correct one for Moldova and Georgia. An important place in the Moldovan-Georgian relations was reserved to the mutual support and assistance in achieving the vital tasks put on the two states. “It is first of all about the building of really independent states, based on the principles of democracy and market economy, settlement of conflicts and solving of the most important socioeconomic problems that we inherited after the dismemberment of the Soviet empire,” said Merab Antadze. The diplomat noted that given that Moldova and Georgia chose the European development path, and this thing is a normal one as the European development path is the only one and the most correct one for solving the problems faced currently by our people and states. “I think the most important thing for Moldova and Georgia is now to successfully take part in the Eastern Partnership program and to fulfill all the commitments undertaken by the Association Agreement with the EU,” said Merab Antadze.
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Member of the European Parliament Siegfried Muresan considers the friendship between the President of Moldova Igor Dodon and the Russian President Vladimir Putin affects the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. In a political press statement, the MEP said, with reference to figures published by the press in Russia and Moldova, that the average price paid by Chisinau for 1,000 cubic meters of gas is by 20% higher than the one paid by Germany, for example, to Gazprom. According to the MEP, this is the difference between the Russian Federation, of which President Igor Dodon shows to be a devoted friend, and the European Union. The EU wants to have an equal and stable partner in the Republic of Moldova and helps it with non-repayable funding. During 2007-2015, Moldova received €782 million in financial assistance from the EU. During 2014-2020, €742 million in non-repayable aid will be allocated from the EU’s multiannual budget to Moldova.
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The strategic dialogue between the Republic of Moldova and the United States was re-launched in a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration on June 23. This involved the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bridget Brink. In the meeting, it was agreed to create working groups of experts of the two states that will focus on areas of increased interest. The working groups will meet in the course of this year and will deal with such areas as justice, security and defense, corruption fighting and combating of trafficking in human beings. Bridget Brink underlined the importance of continuing the dialogue, especially in the context of the celebration of 25 years of bilateral relations. The discussions in the meeting centered on the bilateral cooperation in justice, namely the implemented reforms, additional steps to fight corruption, stepping up of efforts to combat trafficking in persons and complete implementation of the recommendations of the Venice Commission. Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur said the Moldova – U.S. dialogue will be promoted with new intensity. The cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the United States, both in bilateral context and in a broader context, especially through the angle of the relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, is a subject of major importance.
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The MPs adopted in the first reading a bill on the concept of information security in the Republic of Moldova. According to the author of the bill, which is the Government, the concept will serve as a basis for drafting legislation and state policies in the field of information security. Vice director of the Security and Intelligence Service Alexandru Balan said in Parliament that such a concept is needed to protect the interests of persons, society and the state in the IT sector, to counteract the dangers to information security in modern society and to maintain a balance between the interests of persons, society and the state for ensuring information security. When it was put to the vote, the bill was supported by the parliamentary alliance and is to be examined and adopted in the final reading, The bill forms part of the legislative program for fulfilling the transposition commitments assumed by the Moldova – EU Association Agreement.
The summary of news from the IPN series “European Integration” is produced with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany and can be further disseminated on condition that the source is indicated.
