The legislative body adopted the bill on the ratification of the Treaty on the State Border Regime, Mutual Assistance and Cooperation in Border Matters between Moldova and Romania in the first reading. The Communist MPs and Mihai Ghimpu’s Liberals didn’t support the bill, IPN reports.

According to the bill authors, the ratification of the treaty is necessary for the liberalization of the visa regime with the EU. Under the treaty, the two parties will create a joint commission for verifying the state border and maintaining the state signs. Each of the signatory party will name by a chairperson and three members of the commission, which will measure and verify the border once in five years.

The treaty was signed in Bucharest on November 8, 2010. On behalf of Moldova, it was signed by the then Prime Minister Vlad Filat. The Communists and the Liberals headed by Mihai Ghimpu said a Premier did not have the right to sign an interstate treaty, this prerogative belonging to the head of state. The Liberals’ leader said he will challenge the bill in the Constitutional Court.

The legislature also passed a bill for ratifying the Agreement on Cooperation in the Military Area between Moldova and Romania in the first reading. The Communists said they are against this accord and left the assembly hall so that the quorum was not present. But there were 51 MPs left in the hall and the bill was adopted.