The ministers of foreign affairs of the Eastern Partnership member states on July 10 took part in the ninth meeting of the EaP informal ministerial dialogue. The event also included a meeting of ministers in charge of the energy sector from the six EaP member states. The preparations for the Eastern Partnership summit that will take place in Brussels this November were the main subject for discussion. Energy efficiency will be included in the agenda of the summit. This will enable Chisinau to prove its determination to transpose the whole package of EU legislation to the national legislation, Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmac, Minister of Economy, said in a news conference given together with Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, and Dominique Ristori, the European Commission’s Director General for Energy.
The Republic of Moldova and the United Arab Emirates signed two agreements, on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments and on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion. The signing ceremony took place in Chisinau on July 10, during the visit paid by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, Sheik Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Moldova.
The Central Election Commission on July 11 launched the mechanism for registering beforehand to take part in the consultative referendum planned for September 24 for the citizens of Moldova with the right to vote who are abroad ca. Thus, the Moldovan can register through the website www.alegator.md or by submitting one or several written applications to Moldova’s embassy or consular office in the country where they now live. The deadline for registration is August 9. The preliminary registration will enable to determine the estimative number of persons who will vote abroad on the referendum day so as to set up additional polling places abroad.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport with headquarters in Lausanne rejected the appeal of canoeist Sergey Tarnovschi and upheld the International Canoeing Federation’s decision whereby the bronze medal was withdrawn and the athlete was suspended for a four-year period. The information was published on the official website of the Court of Arbitration for Sport on July 11. Tarnovschi was penalized by the Federation after he failed the dope test several days after he won the bronze at the Olympic Games of Rio de Janeiro. The results achieved by the athlete after July 8, 2016, when the sample was collected, were annulled. Tarnovschi is the third Moldovan sportsman who was stripped of an Olympic medal during the last three years, after Cristina Iovu and Anatolie Caracu.
The MPs on July 13 ratified the financing agreement between the Republic of Moldova of the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Fiduciary Fund for the implementation of the Rural Resilience Project (IFAD VII), which was signed in Rome on April 11, 2017. The value of the project is of US$ 23.7 million, US$ 5.5 million of which is in the form of grant. The loan of US$ 18.2 million is repayable in 25 years, with a grace period of five years, at an interest rate of 1.25% and a service commission of 0.75%.
Parliament on July 13 ratified an advance agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, of the World Bank Group, based on which Moldova will get a loan of US$ 1.7 million for thinking up and implementing the project “Modernization of Governmental Services”. The agreement has an implementation period of 12 months. The money is provided in the form of a loan, at an interest rate of 2%.
The service members working on a contract basis will be able to hold the nationality of another state except that of the Republic of Moldova. The students of military higher education institutions will also enjoy this right. A bill to this effect was passed by Parliament in two readings on July 13. The Government, which drafted the bill, makes reference to the Constitutional Court’s decision of the end of January, whereby the ban on holding the nationality of another state imposed on service members employed on contract and students of military higher education establishments is declared unconstitutional. Then the Court ruled that these limitations are not proportional to the goal of ensuring loyalty to the state and affect the right to work and to study, in breach of the constitutional provisions.
Otilia Nicolai, who had served as a prosecution officer for 14 years, on July 14 was named director of the Crime Assets Recovery Agency. She obtained the highest score in the contest to fill the post. After all the appointment procedures are completed, the new chief will form the team that will consist of prosecution officers, experts and specialists in accounting and audit, special investigation officers and specialists in other areas. The Crime Assets Recovery Agency will carry out financial investigations, will assess and manage crime assets and will negotiate the repatriation of their value.
The MPs on July 14 adopted in the final reading a law that provides for the gradual reduction by 30% of the road tax for motor vehicles registered abroad. Currently, the transit tax in Moldova is of €85, while in Romania and Bulgaria is of €11. Therefore, the tax will be gradually reduced by 30% so as to make Moldova more competitive.
Mayor general of Chisinau municipality Dorin Chirtoaca will continue to stay under house arrest during the next 25 days. The decision was taken by the Buiucani branch of the Court of Chisinau on July 14. The judge accepted partially the request of anticorruption officers, who asked for house arrest for a 30-day period. The mayor was arrested on May 25. One day later, he was charged with influence peddling in the case of pay parking lots and was placed under hour arrest. Dorin Chirtoaca pleads not guilty.
Selection by Maria Procopciuc
