The European Parliament on July 4 voted in favor of providing €100 million in macro-financial assistance to Moldova. The money is to be disbursed by the European Commission in three tranches. A number of 575 MEPs voted for providing €100 million in macro-financial assistance to Moldova, 76 voted against, while 46 abstained. If the Moldovan authorities make progress, the money will be disbursed as planned. If not, each tranche could be blocked until the undertaken reforms are done. Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the €100 million is designed to support the economic stabilization and structural reform agenda of the Republic of Moldova. A sum of €40 million will be allocated in the form of grants, while €60 million in loans.

Based on the appraisals of the Security and Intelligence Service, the Superior Council of Magistracy on July 4 ruled that the judge of the Chisinau Appeals Court Domnica Manole is incompatible with the post of judge. The judge, who attended the Council’s meeting where the given decision was taken, described it as political order, noting she will challenge it in the Supreme Court of Justice. In the same meeting, the Superior Council of Magistracy gave the go-ahead to take legal action against the judge of the Rascani office of the Court of Chisinau municipality Oleg Melniciuc. The judge will be investigated for indicating false data in his income statement.

The head of the Chisinau General Public Transport and Communications Division Igor Gamretski will stand trial. Prosecutors completed the investigation and on July 4 sent the case started over influence peddling when choosing companies that were to build pay parking lots in Chisinau to court. On July 5, Igor Gamretski was suspended from posts based on an order made by Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca.

Adrian Talmaci will hold the post of secretary of the Chisinau Municipal Council on an interim basis. A number of 30 municipal councilors voted in favor of this candidate in the July 4 meeting of the Council. The post of secretary of the Chisinau Municipal Council was vacated by Valeriu Didencu, who is now investigated for acts of corruption.

The Standing Bureau of the Moldovan Parliament on July 5 approved a joint statement of the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and the Supreme Rada of Ukraine whereby these call on the European Parliament to adopt a resolution before the Eastern Partnership Summit to express political support for opening the membership perspective of the three associate states. Speaking about a possible application for EU membership by Moldova, Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu said this could be submitted in 2018. To file such an application, the Republic of Moldova should be prepared and eligible to launch the pre-accession procedure.

Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu and Prime Minister Pavel Filip on July 5 signed a new priority reform action roadmap. This contains 59 measures that are to be carried out in seven key areas during July-December inclusive. Speaker Andrian Candu said the roadmap is a plan of action designed to bring benefits to the people, to strengthen the state institutions and the rule of law. The measures refer to the work of the legislative body, to social programs such as the meal voucher system and the program “First House”, to the development of energy infrastructure and the already launched reforms.

The municipal cleanup company “Autosalubritate” on July 6 resumed the transportation of waste collected in Chisinau to the waste dump located in Tantareni village of Anenii Noi district. Based on an agreement between the two settlements, the waste will be stored there during two years and a half, with a trial period of half a year. The Chisinau City Hall will annually allocate 6 million lei to Tantareni, will reinforce and maintain the levee near the waste dump, will rehabilitate and reopen the water treatment station, will set up street lighting in the commune, will finance the repair of local roads, will build a bypassing road so that the garbage trucks avoid the village when they transport waste. Earlier this week, the Chisinau Municipal Council decided to allocate 39 million lei for these purposes.

Representatives of the initiative group for holding the referendum on dismissing Mayor General of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca submitted the collected signatures and the necessary documents to the Buiucani branch of the Court of Chisinau on July 7. The Socialists promise that the referendum will be held in September or October. They consider the mayor should be dismissed because he is irresponsible and corrupt.

Parliament on July 7 appointed Victor Micu as a judge of the Supreme Court of Justice up to his age of 65, which is the age limit. Victor Micu, who now heads the Supreme Council of Magistracy, was fielded for the post by the Council’s plenum after this obtained the highest score in the contest to fill the post of judge of the Supreme Court of Justice.

The Government reform was adopted in the final reading by 53 votes of MP in the July 7 sitting of Parliament. The post of minister remains the only political post. The post of deputy minister was excluded and the administrative duties at ministries will be fulfilled by secretaries of state, who will hold the post of minister on an interim basis, if necessary. Also, the Premier is empowered to modify the number of ministries, which is not fixed, by a simplified procedure. The reform is to be implemented during two to four months. A number of 43 deputy ministers will be dismissed as a result.

The Russian State Duma on July 7 issued a statement concerning the negative tendencies in the development of the situation in Transnistrian following the actions of the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Ukrainian authorities, which says that the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities contribute to the creation of threats to the stability in the region and to the welfare and security of the inhabitants of Transnistria and calls on the authorities of the two states to give up exerting pressure on Transnistria. In reaction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova expressed its regret and bewilderment at this fact, saying the statement contains tendentious assessments and absolutely unfounded criticism. President Igor Dodon also reacted, saying the attempts to exert pressure from any direction can hamper the resolution of the conflict, while the worsening of the situation suits the opponents of the country’s reunification.


Selection by Elena Nistor