The ex-Heads of State will be provided with car on a permanent basis, not by order as now. The period for which the car will be offered will be decided by the Government. An office, with assistant, will be set up, where the former Presidents will hold official meetings. A bill to this effect was passed by Parliament in the first reading on December 8, IPN reports.

One of the bill authors, Democratic MP Sergiu Sarbu said these provisions are deigned to ensure efficient cooperation with an ex-President and will enable this to devote himself to an activity useful to society, having the important experience of a Head of State. For example, the office will be outfitted for protocol activities, meetings with former Presidents of Moldova and other states.

Communist leader Vladimir Voronin, Moldova’s third President and currently MP, said neither an office nor an assistant are needed and the Head of State should only fulfill his duties and that’s all. The authors of this bill were ordered to ensure benefits for the current President in gratitude for the fact that he didn’t become involved in what the current government did.

Socialist MP Vasile Bolea said that on the other hand, the bill provides benefits for the former Heads of State. On the other hand, the authors of the bill aim to cut the powers of the incumbent President, like the power to name the head of the Security and Intelligence Service and of the State Guard and Protection Service.