The MPs resume work as part of the parliamentary commissions on January 15. Under an order signed by Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu, the spring-summer session of Parliament starts on February 1 and will last until the end of July.
Secretary of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party Sergiu Sarbu has told IPN that the initiatives and draft laws included in the roadmap and plan of action for implementing the Association Agreement will be a priority in the new session. Emphasis will be placed on the continuation of reforms in such areas as justice, financial-banking sector, fight against corruption and the Government reform. “This year we aim to ensure a substantial rise in salaries and pensions. We intend to finish all the infrastructure projects. We hope that this year’s elections will not affect us. The elections will be held at yearned and until then we will focus on work,” he stated.
According to Vasile Bolea, secretary of the Socialist parliamentary group, during the new parliamentary session the Socialist MPs will make all the Cabinet members account for their work and will promote a series of bills in the social, economic, education and health sectors. “We will manage to promote them and the Government that will come after the elections will deal with their implementation,” he said.
Deputy head of the European People’s Party group Eugen Carpov said each parliamentary commission set particular priorities on which the MPs will focus during the new session. The commission on security, public order and defense, of which he forms part, will examine the information security strategy and concept, the national defense strategy and concept and the implementation of the new Law on the Customs Service.
Liberal MP Ion Apostol said that as it is the 100th anniversary of the union, this year the party he represents will work to intensely promote the idea of Moldova’s union with Romania. The union of the two states offers a lot of social and economic benefits and decent living conditions. “The salaries and pensions in Romania are five times higher than in the Republic of Moldova. Romania has the largest economic growth in the EU. Being a NATO member, it ensures the territory’s sovereignty and the people’s security. That’s why all our efforts will be aimed at this desideratum,” stated Ion Apostol.
Liberal-Democratic MP Iurie Tap noted that in the new parliamentary session, alongside his colleagues from the group, he will demand that the institutions managed by the legislative body should present progress reports in Parliament. There is no parliamentary control in many of the public institutions and the implementation of the adopted laws is a major problem. “We will also insist on the investigation of the banking fraud and questioning of those in charge of this case, the recovery of money and holding accountable of those to blame. The problem of the Nistru River worries us. We will exert pressure on the Government so that this implements the initiated reforms as we see that many of these are mimicked,” said Iurie Tap.
Elena Bodnarenco, secretary of the Communist parliamentary group, spoke about the social bills that provide for the rise in pensions, salaries and social welfare. These will be promoted and supported by the Communists in the new parliamentary session. “We will center on the extension of the agenda set at the start of our mandate,” she stated.
The 2017 autumn session ended on December 22, 2017.