MPs representing different political parties said they are for eliminating the parliamentary immunity. A legislative initiative for amending the Constitution’s article concerning the immunity was already submitted to Parliament. It was drafted by the parties that formed the Pro-European Coalition, IPN reports. The lawmakers discussed the issue in the program “Good evening” on the public TV channel Moldova 1.
Liberal reformer Ana Gutu said the initiative to withdraw the parliamentary immunity was formulated by MPs of the Pro-European Collation. “In Moldova, they misinterpreted the notion of immunity and extended it. In some of the EU member states with rich parliamentary experience, the immunity was removed in the 19th century. I will vote for this initiative. I proposed such changes even when I was a member of the Liberal Party,” she stated.
Lib-Dem Valeriu Ghiletski said the proposal for amending the Constitution and eliminating the parliamentary immunity was submitted by the Liberal Democratic Party in the previous election campaign. “The bill was registered and already entered the parliamentary procedure,” he stated. According to him, such an initiative is necessary and those who proposed it assumed certain risks.
Unaffiliated MP of the Group of Socialists Ion Ceban said he is not against depriving the MPs of immunity, but the initiative should have been put forward by the opposition rather than by the parliamentary majority whose Government was dismissed for acts of corruption. However, he said he will support this initiative.
Democratic MP Sergiu Sarbu said the lawmakers should not be above the law. “Such an initiative is imperative and we formulated it not in order to penalize the opposition, but in order to make everyone equal before the law. Immunity does not mean impunity. Those who do not have what to hide will not be afraid if they do not enjoy immunity,” he stated.
The Pro-European Collation registered in Parliament a bill providing for the absolute abolition of parliamentary immunity on November 1.
