The Government has formally endorsed a draft amendment to Art. 70 of the Constitution that will make it easier to prosecute MPs on charges of corruption, influence peddling, abuse of authority, unjust enrichment and money laundering. In such cases, Parliament won’t have to vote to remove the suspect’s parliamentary immunity.
Justice Minister Sergiu Litvinenco noted the amendment aims to prevent and fight high-level corruption. “The draft was also endorsed by the Constitutional Court. I propose that the Government also support this bill. We hope that the necessary votes will be found in Parliament to remove this shield from criminal liability”, said the minister.
The Constitutional Court endorsed the draft amendment in the autumn of last year, stating that it could be adopted no earlier than six months from its introduction. Currently, the Constitution states that “and MP may not be detained, arrested, searched, except in cases of in flagrante delicto, or stand trial without the consent of Parliament, after hearing him or her”.
