Ambassadors accredited to Moldova discuss reform of government, electoral system

Chisinau, 19 May /MOLDPRES/ - The ambassadors of the European Union member states, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Council of Europe and the USA today were invited to exchange opinions with Prime Minister Pavel Filip and Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu. The officials tackled the reform of public administration and the one of the electoral system, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.

PM Pavel Filip presented the draft of the new law on government, noting that its adoption was a first step to creating the legal context necessary for carrying out the structural reform of the central public administration. “A strong state is equivalent to strong institutions, as the latter elaborate policies on which the country’s development depends. The processes of the last years, yet, have led to the weakening of their capacities, including because of low salaries. We want that, once the institutions optimized, as we become suppler, we provide higher salaries,” Filip said.    

Among the main aspects included in the new law, there are: dividing the political offices from the administrative ones, clear-cut delimitation of the powers of the government, ministries and State Chancellery, in order to avoid their doubling, strengthening the legal competences of the State Chancellery, fortifying the integrity principles when appointing cabinet members; clear regulation of cases of ceasing of the position of cabinet member, as well as the enforcement of a new legal terminology, adjusted to the developments in terms of law. Also, the draft law provides for excluding the position of deputy minister and establishing the office of undersecretary of state.  

The draft law is to be soon submitted for official approval and public consultation, with subsequent approval at cabinet meeting and submission to parliament for consideration.

For his part, the parliament speaker informed the diplomats about the reform of the electoral system and actions undertaken so far while considering the draft laws on the way MPs are elected, registered in parliament. In particular, Andrian Candu referred to the five public discussions organized on this subject, of which three ones in parliament, with the participation of all parliamentary parties, civil society and electoral experts. Also, representatives of extra-parliamentary parties participated in debates organized with the support of international partners.      

At the same time, Andrian Candu touched upon the wide consensus reached by the lawmakers when voting the drafts on the introduction of the mixed electoral system in the first reading, backed by 74 MPs of 101 ones. Candu said that the parliament would vote the draft in the final reading only after the recommendations of the Venice Commissions are published, that will be taken into account.