Prime Minister Pavel Filip demanded to open an internal inquiry at the National Bureau of Statistics in order to determine the causes for the unjustified delay in processing the data of the population and dwelling census taken in Moldova in 2014 and to hold those to blame accountable. This is one of the decisions taken in the meeting of representatives of state institutions and development partners, among which the United Nations Population Fund and the Swiss Cooperation Office, as well as of civil society. These requested the Government to finish the processing of the census data and to publish them, IPN reports.

In the meeting, the Premier said the processes related to the census were inadmissibly delayed. He asked that an internal inquiry should be carried out to establish the causes for this delay and to punish those in charge. The Financial Inspectorate is to assess the costs incurred for taking the census. Also, a mechanism is to be identified for verifying the accuracy of the data collected within the census.

The National Bureau of Statistics presented information about the current stage of the census data processing process, the identified shortcomings and the measures that will be taken to complete data processing. According to the Ministry of Finance, the first stage of the census taken in 2014 cost 78.6 million lei. Another 8 million lei is needed for remunerating the personnel involved in the internal data processing procedures. This money was earmarked in the state budget for 2016.

Pavel Filip ordered that the national commission for the population and dwelling census of 2014 should be convened in the immediate future. He also asked to publish the schedule of actions for processing the obtained information and to ensure efficient communication with the public in the given area.