Anticorruption Center: more than a name change

A bill approved by the Government today proposes renaming the Center for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption to the National Anticorruption Center, in addition to other measures aimed at reforming the agency, Info-Prim Neo reports. Justice Minister Oleg Efrim said the reform aimed to enhance the Center's independence and its effectiveness in curbing corruption. Under the bill, the National Anticorruption Center will become an autonomous institution placed under parliamentary supervision. To streamline its activity, some of the Center's previous functions will be transferred to other agencies so that the Center can focus exclusively on combating corruption. The economic offenses that have been placed under its jurisdiction will be transferred to the Ministry of the Interior and the Customs Service, and other functions will be transferred to other authorities until October 1, when the law is to take effect. This is also until when the Center's new leadership is to be appointed. The director of the Anticorruption Center will be appointed based on a public contest, a measure which aims to depoliticize the position. The director will be removable by a simple parliamentary majority on a motion proposed by at least 15 MPs. The proposed legislation is in line with Moldova's European integration commitments.