The Constitutional Court of Moldova on December 5 endorsed the Government’s bill to amend and supplement Article 116 of the Constitution concerning the appointment of judges. Under the bill, judges will hold office until they reach the age limit of 65 and will be appointed by the President of the Republic of Moldova at the suggestion of the Superior Council of Magistracy. The President can reject the proposed candidate only once. Currently, the judges are named for a five-year term. If these do not commit violations, the term in office is extended. It is also proposed that the judges should have functional, not general immunity. The Court ruled that the bill to amend and supplement the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova can be submitted to Parliament for examination.
The Constitutional Court on December 5 admitted the exception of unconstitutionality of the Law on the examination of holders and candidates for public posts, namely the provisions that refer to judges, holding that the examination of judges by the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) interferes with the independence of the judicial power. The Court pronounced on an application submitted by Domnica Manole who was dismissed from the post of judge based on a negative SIS appraisal. The Court will recommend Parliament to exclude legislative parallelism as regards the examination of the integrity of all the holders of public posts and candidates for such posts.
The Political Party “Platform Dignity and Truth” and the Party “Action and Solidarity” became observe members of the European People’s Party (EPP). The decision was taken unanimously in the EPP’s Political Assembly held in Brussels on December 5. Siegfried Muresan, spokesman for the EPP, said that the preparation of the victory of the two parties in the elections of 2018 starts with this decision.
The bill to amend the Broadcasting Code that was proposed by the MPs of the Democratic Party and the European People’s Party of Moldova was adopted by Parliament in two readings by 61 votes in favor on December 7. In order to ensure the information security of the state, the broadcasting of only news, feature, military and political radio and TV programs produced in the EU, U.S., Canada and states that ratified the European Convention on Transfrontier Television will be allowed. In reaction, President Igor Dodon said the law to amend the Broadcasting Code to ban the broadcasting of news and feature programs of Russian TV channels in Moldova runs counter to the European norms concerning the freedom of thought and of expression. The bill was criticized by the Communist and Socialist MPs.
The first Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Alexandru Mosanu passed away on December 7 at the age of 85. Historian and politician Alexandru Mosanu was born in Braniste commune of Balti County, which then formed part of the Kingdom of Romania, on July 19, 1932. He studied at the Faculty of History. He served as an MP between 1990 and 1998 and held the post of Speaker of Parliament from September 1990 until February 993, being the first to occupy this position. Alexandru Mosanu is the one who read in Parliament the draft Declaration of Independence on August 27, 1991. This was adopted the same day unanimously, by the 278 attending MPs.
The artistic director of the folk dances ensemble “Joc”, Master Vladimir Curbet died in the morning of December 8 at the age of 87. Vladimir Curbet was born in Susleni village of Orhei district on December 5, 1930. He is a People’s Artist of Moldova, a laureate of the State Award and a knight of the Order of Republic of Moldova. A bibliographic book dedicated to the master and the ensemble “Joc”, entitled “Two phenomena of the national culture: Master Vladimir Curbet and Ensemble “Joc” was launched in Chisinau in February 2016. In the launch, Vladimir Curbet, then at the age of 85, said that he loved a lot Moldovan folklore and compared life with a field flower that fades away in time.
The NATO Liaison Office in Moldova was inaugurated in Chisinau on December 8. The inauguration involved Prime Minister Pavel Filip and NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller. According to the officials, the opening of the Office is an important stage in the relations between Moldova and NATO, which will contribute to strengthening the political dialogue and cooperation with NATO, without affecting the principle of constitutional neutrality of the Republic of Moldova. Members and supporters of the Party of Socialists mounted a protest in front of the Skytower Center, where the NATO Liaison Office in based. According to the Socialists, the Moldovan Government’s decision to open the NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau is another unconstitutional act of the ruling regime and a logical continuation of the policy to ignore the country’s neutrality and the will of the majority of people. After the adoption of a scandalous and antidemocratic law “to combat Russian propaganda”, the opening of the NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau is another step towards a rupture in the relations between Moldova and Russia.
A passenger minibus travelling from the Czech Republic to Moldova skidded off the snowy road and turned on one side between Tulghes commune and Borsec town of Romania on December 10. Of the 20 persons involved in the accident, 19 of whom were passengers, two died on the spot, while seven were hospitalized in Toplita town. The Romanian press reported that the accident occurred at 6:20am. The minibus skidded off the road at a turn and overturned when crashing into a pole. It was preliminarily established that the speed hasn’t been adjusted to the weather and traffic conditions. It was snowing in the area. The man and the woman who died were in their 30s.
Selection by Elena Nistor
