The MPs on March 30 adopted a bill to amend the Constitution and annul the parliamentary immunity in the first reading. The bill was proposed by a group of Democratic, Liberal and unaffiliated MPs. The Socialists, Communists and some of the unaffiliated MPs didn’t support the draft law, calling it an instrument for intimidating the opposition, IPN reports.
Under the bill, paragraph 3 of Article 70 of the Constitution will be removed. Now this provides that the MPs cannot be detained, arrested and searched, except for cases when these are caught red-handed, and cannot be sued without the Parliament’s consent.
One of the bill authors Sergiu Sarbu said the immunity should not be an obstacle to justice and should not negatively influence the application of the democratic principles in a state governed by the rule of law. The annulment of immunity will not lead to the diminution of MP immunity and will not affect the MPs’ right to freedom of expression and the right to vote, which are enshrined in the supreme law. The MP could not be held accountable for his votes or for the opinions stated while holding the seat.
Communist MP Oleg Reidman stated it would have been normal for such an initiative to come from the opposition and it is strange that this is proposed by the parliamentary alliance. In Moldova, such an initiative is premature as there is no objective justice here yet.
Socialist MP Vasile Bolea noted the government intends to deprive the MPs, especially those from the opposition, of a guarantee, not a privilege as the bill authors assert. This initiative not only suppresses the guarantees enshrined in the Constitution, but is also a direct threat to the opposition and political pluralism in general.
The leader of the Liberal parliamentary group Mihai Ghimpu said the Liberals will support this bill, but on one condition - if the national or European courts of law acquit the accused MP, the prosecutor should serve the punishment asked for the MP. There are cases of abuse and the law enforcement bodies should be thus disciplined by legal provisions.
