TI Moldova points to irregularities in petitioning system

06.10.2010 16:22
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Moldova's petitioning system is defective and should be improved by amending the legislation, consider experts of Transparency International-Moldova. According to them, about two years are needed to make this system more efficient, but this should be a priority for the state institutions and all the recommendations must be respected, Info-Prim Neo reports. TI Moldova experts launched a publication titled “Petitioning System: Monitoring and Improvement”, which contains the results of a study of the functionality of the petitioning system in 15 public institutions. The publication's author Efim Obreja said the petitioning system faces a large number of problems. At the same time, there are many petitioners who are dissatisfied with the work of the system. The confrontation between petitioners and the public institutions is another problem. 64% of the petitioners questioned within TI Moldova's study said their legal interests have not been protected after they filed petitions. Only 23% of the petitioners said they were rehabilitated. Among other problems faced by the petitioning system is the lack of information about petition filing, absence of petition boxes, registration of challenges and legal applications as petitions. “The petitions are often submitted to institutions that are unable to solve the problems. In this case, the servants do not send the petitions to the competent bodies, but examine them themselves,” said the author of the study. Efim Obreja suggests amending the legislation on petition formulation, internal inspection and analysis of activities. He also recommends training the functionaries and juridically educating the population, ensuring the transparency of the system, protecting the petitions. Transparency International-Moldova expert Ianina Spinei said the organization prepared a brochure that explains the terms used in the petitioning system, the method of exercising the right to petition and other aspects. Transparency International-Moldova executive director Lilia Carashchuk said this study will be presented to civil society and public institutions so that they consider how the recommendations can be implemented. She also said a new study will be made in a year to see what progress was made in the field. According to the study, about 37,000 petitions were recorded in 2009. The number is decreasing.