The investing of the Filip Government, protests, direct presidential elections after a period of about 20 years and other events marked the year 2016. At yearend, IPN News Agency presents the most important events of each of the 12 months of the year.
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Key event of March: Constitutional Court decided to restore the people’s right to elect the Head of State.
On March 4, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova declared unconstitutional the law to amend the Constitution’s provisions concerning the election of the President of Moldova by Parliament, by the votes of 3/5 of MPs. In order to avoid a legislative gap, the Court declared unconstitutional the Law on the Election of the President and restored the Election Code provisions concerning the direct election of the President, by the people’s vote.
Also on March 4, Parliament adopted the Law on a three-month moratorium on state inspections at business entities. Later the moratorium was extended for another three months.
On March, Parliament accepted candidate Sergiu Cioclea for the post of National Bank governor by the votes of 61 MPs. Cioclea said in Parliament that he aims to modernize the Moldovan financial-banking system. The candidate was selected by a special commission by a second attempt, after the first attempt of last year failed. Sergiu Cioclea was chosen out of nine candidates.
In a meeting on March 12, the National Agency for Energy Regulation decided that the price of electric power will be lower as of April 1. The end users pay by 8 to 11% less, depending on the area where they live. Towards yearend, the Agency was requested by power distribution companies to review the tariff up.
On March 30, the Central Election Commission rejected the proposal to hold the national constitutional referendum that was initiated by the Civic Platform “Dignity and Truth” in 2015. The goal pursued through the referendum was to reduce the number of MPs, to annul the parliamentary immunity and to modify the method of electing the Head of State. The then CEC president Iurie Ciocan said the proposal was rejected because the signatures collected by the initiative group didn’t meet the validity conditions. The group’s head Andrei Nastase said the CEC interpreted the Constitution in a criminal way.
Selection by Mariana Galben, IPN
