The information about the incomes, possessions and interests declared by public functionaries will be gathered together on the online platform www.avere.promis.md that was launched by the Civic Initiative for Integrity in the Public Service on November 20. By such a webpage, the authors aim to ensure free and permanent access to this information, increasing thus control over the integrity of persons holding responsible posts in public institutions.
In a news conference at IPN, Igor Botan, director of the Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT), said the project was devised by five organizations that form part of the Initiative for Integrity in the Public Service, namely Soros Foundation Moldova, the Association of Independent Press, the Center for the Analysis and Prevention of Corruption, the Journalistic Investigations Center, and ADEPT.
The ADEPT director said that the necessity of this project derives from the sporadic and inconsistent character of the income statements published now on the websites of the public authorities. The project aims to intensify public control over the integrity of persons who hold a public posts. The platform will contain information about the incomes and property accumulated by lawmakers, members of the Cabinet, the head of state, directors of authorities that are under parliamentary control, prosecutors, presidents and vice presidents of appeals courts, judges of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Supreme Council of Magistrates and other functionaries in 2008-2013.
The visitors of the webpage can see the incomes collected by the functionaries over the last five years graphically and visually, a graphic presentation of the evolution of the value of real estate and movables purchased over the last few years and the financial assets. Igor Botan said the platform will work permanently as it is not intended for the parliamentary elections only. In ten days, over two thirds of the lawmakers will be replaced and the new MPs will have to submit income and property statements immediately after they get the seat.
Journalistic Investigations Center director Cornelia Cozonac said the portal is a very good source for collecting materials for journalistic investigations. The people can also visit this platform to find out information about the property of state officials.
Program coordinator at the Association of Independent Press Ion Mazur said that this webpage is a safe source to which one can make reference. “This portal is very important first of all for the online sphere of Moldova and for strengthening the country’s integrity system,” he stated.
The information published on the platform is taken from the statements submitted by the functionaries to the competent bodies, such as the National Integrity Commission. If inconsistencies or hidden conflicts of interests are identified in the income statements, the Civic Initiative for Integrity in the Public Service will additionally examine the situation and will notify the competent bodies.
