It has been a year of the adoption of the package of laws on integrity, but the National Integrity Authority (NIA) hasn’t yet become functional. The exaggeratedly slow pace of the contest to fill the posts of NIA president and vice president shows that the process is intentionally delayed. In the absence of administration and of integrity inspectors designated or chosen at a contest, the verification of the property and interests of persons who occupy public posts is compromised, said Transparency International – Moldova (TI–Moldova), expressing its profound concern about the dallying of the NIA reform, IPN reports.

In a press release, TI–Moldova says it seems that a harsh struggle is given for control over the NIA by trying to replace a person whose term in office expired with another person whose term will expire soon. The hurry in which a person, who earlier opposed the reformation of the institution and violated the working discipline, as Anatol Donciu (ex-acting president of NIA) asserted, and recently failed the polygraph test, is propelled to the administration of the NIA generates bewilderment.

Given that the power at the NIA is transferred in a confused and scandalous way, Transparency International – Moldova considers the risk of breaking into the database and archive of the NIA (income and property and personal interest statements, NIA decisions and documents concerning conducted investigations) for the benefit of obscure groups of interests is imminent. In this case, no one will assume risibility for eventual irregularities.

TI–Moldova also says that the struggle for control over the NIA is given before the parliamentary elections, when it is very important for society to find out about the integrity of candidates. The NIA has received a considerable number of petitions and requests to perform inspections and tens of thousands of property and personal interest statements remain unverified. The NIA does not react to multiple journalistic investigations that reveal luxury property owned by public functionaries and high-ranking officials, eventual cases of decision-making in conflicts of interests and violations of the regime of incompatibility.

In such conditions, Transparency International – Moldova requests the authorities to make real effort to ensure the functionality and independence of the NIA, which is one of the main institutions designed to prevent corruption in the public sector in the Republic of Moldova.