The Gagauz public association “Piligrim-Demo” called on the Government to delay the examination of a bill to amend a number of normative acts for the reason that it violates the special status of Gagauzia. In a news conference at IPN, the association’s executive director Mihail Sirkeli asked that this bill be sent back to the Ministry of Justice.
According to Mihail Sirkeli, the bill put forward by the Ministry of Justice provides that the authorities of the territorial-administrative units with special legal status must take decisions in compliance with the laws adopted by the central authorities. The bill does not take into account the fact that the authorities of Gagauzia have regulatory powers. The People’s Assembly can vote bills of local importance.
The Ministry of Justice’s bill suggests removing the ‘local laws’. This provision violates the regulatory powers held by the Gagauz authorities in accordance with the current legislation, stated Mihail Sirkeli.
He added that the bill also neglects the notice of the Venice Commission, which recommended that the law concerning the special legal status of Gagauzia should be turned into a special organic law so as to avoid cases of unwanted abuses related to the status and powers of Gagauzia, committed by adopting other ordinary and organic laws.
Mihail Sirkeli noted that this bill was submitted to the Government, but it was excluded from the agenda in February. Then, civil society put forward proposals for modifying the bill, but their suggestions were not taken into consideration.
