Moldovan cabinet approves package of laws on integrity

Chisinau, 3 February /MOLDPRES/ - The cabinet has approved a set of laws on integrity. It is about a draft law on declaring the personal wealth and interests, a draft law on the National Integrity Centre and a draft law on the amendment and completion of some legislative acts, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.     

The concerned documents are aimed at applying concrete and efficient measures to prevent and fight unjustified enrichment, conflicts of interests, as well as the states of incompatibility. At the same time, the drafts propose fulfillment of the commitments Moldova has taken before the European Union in this area.  

Among the provisions proposed by the government, there are also applying severer sanctions to the officials who violate the legislation on integrity and falsify the forms of return and interests, up to their dismissal from office. Besides, the persons dismissed on grounds of violating the integrity criteria will no longer be able to hold public offices. Also, the drafts establish mechanisms of confiscating the assets gained by illegal means.    

The prime minister stressed that this package of laws was extremely necessary and was meant to regulate the work of important institutions and provide them with levers. “At the same time, we must be attentive that these levers should be used correctly and not turn into instruments for abuses,” Pavel Filip said.  

Under the proposed norms, an office of integrity inspector will be established at the National Integrity Centre. The inspector will keep a close eye on the way the forms of personal return and interests are submitted by officials, and will also have access to other confidential information about the concerned or suspected persons of false statements, conflicts of interests. These stipulations are aimed at optimizing the work of the National Integrity Centre, ensuring the institutional independence of the centre, as well as at enhancing the level of trustworthiness of the commission by strengthening the mechanisms of checking the forms of return and property, control over the observance of the legal regime of the conflict of interests.          

The package of laws on integrity is to be adopted by the parliament.

(Editor L. Alcaza)