Hammer and sickle can no longer be used for political purposes

The legislation bans the use of the Communist symbols – the hammer and sickle – for political purposes from October 1. No fines will be yet imposed for the violation of the legislation as the body in charge of this hasn’t been appointed. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, MP Tudor Deliu said that Parliament will soon adopt a bill to name this body. The head of the Parliament’s legal commission for appointments and immunities Victor Popa said that the Liberal Party prepared a bill to amend a series of legislative documents by which the police will be authorized to draw up reports and, respectively, to impose fines for the use of the Communist symbols. The fines vary between 2,000 and 3,000 lei or 6,000 and 10,000 lei, depending on whether the culprit is a private individual, legal entity or a person holding a responsible post. The legislative body condemned the totalitarian Communist regime at the end of July and banned the use of its symbols on Moldova’s territory for political and propagandistic purposes. The Communist Party head Vladimir Voronin repeatedly said that his party will not abandon the hammer and sickle. The Parliament Decision to condemn the Communist regime and the legislative amendments that prohibit the use of the Communist symbols were challenged in the Constitutional Court.