The state-run energy company SA “Energocom” signed a contract for the supply of electric power to Moldova with ZAO “Moldavskaya GRAS”. The contract took effect on June 5, 2017 and is valid until March 31, 2018, as is the contract signed with Ukraine’s “DTEK Traiding” at the end of March. Thus, “Energocom” will purchase a part of electrical energy from the Cuciurgan Power Plant for 45 USD/MWh.

The only State University Medical Rehabilitation Center in Moldova, which has a capacity of over 60 places, was inaugurated in Chisinau on June 5. The Center’s services are intended for children and grownups with functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system, central and peripheral nervous systems, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, etc. The Center will provide contract services for the National Health Insurance Company as well as services for the population for money. According to specialists, about 100,000 persons are now in need of medical rehabilitation services in Moldova.

After inhabitants of Bubuieci commune of Chisinau municipality blocked the access of garbage trucks to the local waste dump, household waste had been accumulated at garbage platforms in residential areas for several days. The collection of waste was resumed on June 6. As a result of negotiations between representatives of the Government, the Chisinau City Hall and inhabitants of Bubuieci, it was agreed to store the household waste accumulated in Chisinau at the dump on Uzinelor St near the commune during 30 days. In the period, the municipality is to identify another waste storage place.

The Constitutional Court on June 7 pronounced the decision on the validation of two seats of MPs. These will be occupied by Oleg Cuciuc and Sergiu Groza, from the list of the Party of Socialists, who entered Parliament after Andrei Neguta and Victor Sorocean of the same party vacated their seats.

The first meeting of the Moldova – Eurasian Economic Commission joint working group was held in Chisinau on June 8. In the meeting, representatives of Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan and Russia and experts and representatives of the Moldovan business community discussed the start of the implementation of the memorandum of cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Republic of Moldova that was signed in Chisinau on April 3. The document was signed even if the government disapproved of this.

The Cabinet on June 8 approved the new law on the Government. Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the Government’s reform showed the executive’s will to fulfill the commitments assumed before the people and the foreign partners. The bill envisions the consolidation of responsibilities of the authorities of the public administration for ensuring the provision of public services of a high quality. The political posts are clearly delimited from the administrative ones. The post of deputy minister will be excluded, while the administrative duties at ministries will be fulfilled by secretaries of state, who will also hold the post of minister on an interim basis, if necessary.

The donors of organs who do not work will benefit from a mandatory health insurance policy for life. The Government will medically insure this category of people, who should be monitored by the Transplant Agency. A bill to this effect was passed by Parliament in the final reading on June 9.

The composition of Moldova’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was modified. Andrei Neguta, Igor Dodon and Liliana Palihovich were replaced by Socialists Vlad Batrancea and Zinaida Grechenyi and Lib-Dem Tudor Deliu. Moldova’s Delegation to the PACE has ten members who represent all the parliamentary groups.

Mobilized by civil society, several thousand people came together in front of the Parliament Building in Chisinau on June 11 to protest against the change in the electoral system and to seek the withdrawal of the bill on the switchover to the mixed-member electoral system from the Parliament’s agenda. Representatives of the opposition – Party “Platform Dignity and Truth”, Party “Action and Solidarity”, Liberal Democratic Party and “Our Party” – joined in the protest. The participants adopted a resolution on the non-admission of changes to the electoral system of the Republic of Moldova, addressed to the foreign partners. According to the police, the protest in Chisinau involved about 2,000 people, while the organizers reported higher figures.

While a protest against the change in the electoral system was mounted in Chisinau on June 11, organized by civil society, local civil society staged demonstrations in support of the mixed-member electoral system in Ialoveni, Cahul and Edinet. The mayors of the three towns, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and MPs of the Democratic Party informed the demonstrators about the advantages of the electoral system change. Later, the protesters could see a festive concert that featured national stars. The police said the events in Edinet, Cahul and Ialoveni took place peacefully and involved 8,000, 7,000 and, respectively, 7,000 people.

In the Extraordinary Congress of The Right on June 11, Ana Gutu vacated the post of the party’s president and was elected as first vice president. Anatol Salaru was chosen as president. The Congress also decided to rename the Political Party “The Right” the National Unity Party.

Selection by Rebeja