The amendment of the Moldovan electoral system as proposed by the PDM and PSRM is unadvisable, according to the experts of the Venice Commission. As stated in the full text of the opinion published on June 19, the influencing of candidates in single mandate constituencies by local business interests and decreased representation for women are among the risks entailed by the new system. The authors of the opinion said that the draft law was passed rather swiftly in the Parliament, without being openly and widely debated in society. According to the experts, the high number of votes with which the draft law passed indicates more a formal consensus and not real wide consensus shared by the rest of the political parties and civil society. The next day, Vlad Plahotniuc, Andrian Candu, Pavel Filip and Marian Lupu flight to Brussels. In a news conference given by Prime Minister Pavel Filip in concert with Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, the EU official said he shares the opinion of the Venice Commission. President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio reiterated in an interview that the main recommendation is to keep the current electoral system in the Republic of Moldova.

The European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade approved the recent agreement to provide €100 million in macro-financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova and the conditions of releasing this that was reached by the principal decision-making bodies of the EU. The Committee’s appraisal, which was published on June 20, notes the necessity of helping the Republic of Moldova so that it copes with the foreign financial needs and the duty of Chisinau to obey the democratic rules, including the multi-party parliamentary system. The European Commission will have to suspend or to annul any payment if the conditions are not met. The discussion of the assistance was delayed by the center-right groups of the European Parliament owing to the Moldovan authorities’ intention to change the electoral system.

A two-year-old boy from Iargara village of Leova district was struck by a train on June 20. The boy, who was in the care of his elder brother aged ten, was collecting grass near the railroad. The engine driver braked when he saw the child on the railroad, but the impact couldn’t have been avoided. The local doctors sedated him and in several hours the child was transported to the Mother and Child Institute in Chisinau and operated. After the surgery, he had been in a coma for a period

The Buiucani-based Court of Chisinau on June 21 sentenced the ex-president of the Administration Board of Banca de Economii Ilan Shor to seven years and a half in semi-closed jail for causing considerable damage to the state by swindle and abuse of confidence. The same day, Shor was released from house arrest and will be under judicial control until a definitive judgment is passed. His lawyers consider their client is fully entitled to submit an application to the European Court of Human Rights over his illegal detention and groundless extension of detention. As to the sentence, the lawyers said they will challenge it in the Appeals Court.

The no-confidence motion proposed by the Socialist MPs against Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur on June 22 was rejected without being examined. Under the legislation, the motion is considered rejected if a quorum is not present at the sitting.  Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu said ascertained the lack of a quorum when only the Socialist and Communist MPs remained in the assembly hall. The Communists said the motion is an attempt by the Socialists to gain political advantages, but nevertheless suggested examining it behind closed doors. The Socialist MPs submitted the no-confidence motion against Andrei Galbur after the legislative body refused to question the minister about the decision to declare five Russian diplomats personas non grata in Moldova.

Mayor General of Chisinau municipality Dorin Chirtoaca will continue to stay under house arrest during the next 25 days. Such a decision was taken by the Buiucani-based Court of Chisinau municipality on June 22. The mayor, who is accused of influence peddling, pleads not guilty. In the same case, the Buiucani-based Court of Chisinau municipality on June 22 decided to transfer the secretary of the Chisinau Council Valeriu Didencu from remand detention under house arrest for 20 days. Valeriu Didencu is investigated for passive corruption, influence peddling and abuse of power. The period of house arrest period for the head of the Public Transport and Communications Division Igor Gamretski, who is accused of exceeding his authority when he signed the contract with the firm that was to build pay parking lots in Chisinau, was extended for 25 days.

The strategic dialogue between the Republic of Moldova and the United States was re-launched in a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration on June 23. This involved the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bridget Brink. In the meeting, it was agreed to create working groups of experts of the two states that will focus on areas of increased interest. The working groups will meet in the course of this year and will deal with such areas as justice, security and defense, corruption fighting and combating of trafficking in human beings. Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur said the Moldova – U.S. dialogue will be promoted with new intensity, while Bridget Brink underlined the importance of continuing the dialogue, especially in the context of the celebration of 25 years of bilateral relations.

Selection by Sabina Rebeja