MPs Tudor Deliu and Lilian Carp submitted an application to the Constitutional Court by which they request to analyze the new budgetary-fiscal policy proposed by the Government. This envisions tax and customs concessions for duty-free sales on the country’s territory or at the entrance to the country. Asked by IPN to provide details, Lilian Carp said the changes proposed to the Customs Code and the Tax Code allow opening gas stations, restaurants and bars in the free zone.

According to the MP, they want a clarification from the Court given that Moldova signed particular agreements and the Constitution contains provisions that do not allow the given entities to work in the free zone because taxes are not paid into the state budget.

The MPs also requested the Court, if the challenged norms are declared unconstitutional, to make the effects of its decision retroactive.

In a debate held at IPN, Liberal-Democratic MP Grigore Cobzac said the bill on duty-free shops at the entrance to the country was examined the same day Parliament voted on the insertion of the phrase “European integration” in the Constitution. He noted it was a hypocritical move and the bill on duty-free shops was a criminal scheme turned legal.

Opposition MPs on different occasions stated the legislative changes on duty-free sales are an example of promotion of the current government’s obscure interests to the detriment of the public interests. These were promoted without the National Anticorruption Center’s review and non-transparently, while the damage caused in time to the state budget following an “economic activity” based on this law on the territory of all the customs posts is comparable to that done by the theft of the US$ 1 billion.

The idea of opening duty-free gas stations at Moldova’s border crossing points was formulated by the largest duty-free operator in Moldova “Dufremol” that is patronized by the family of the mayor of Orhei Ilan Shor. The opposition considers this possibility is a favor done by the government to Ilan Shor, who runs duty-free shops.

In self-denouncing statements made by Ilan Shor in 2015, as a result of which ex-Premier Vlad Filat was jailed, Shor said he offered bribe to the former Prime Minister, including for making amendments to the legislation that would enable him to start his petrol business at the border in a preferential regime, but the changes weren’t ultimately done.