Moldovan parliament speaker's speech at end of spring session

Chisinau, 21 July /MOLDPRES/ - The speech by Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu at the end of the parliament’s 2017 spring session:   

Distinguished Plenum,

Dear colleagues and esteemed guests,  

The parliament’s spring session has laid the foundations for the change of the political establishment from Moldova. Starting from 2018, the new parliament will be made of MPs elected on party lists and lawmakers elected in uninominal districts. The ceiling of financial contributions for electoral campaigns was cut and mechanisms for approving candidates’ integrity were set. The proper representation of certain segments of voters is ensured, such as the ones from Gagauzia, Transnistrian region or from the Diaspora, who were discriminated in the proportional system. By the change of the electoral system, we gave the country a chance for a harmonious development and in line with people’s expectations.   

Despite the criticism of certain forces, the parliament which backed with 74 votes an initiative claimed by voters proved that it is a parliament for people. Moldova’s European integration means modernization, friendly state and worthy living conditions for all the country’s residents. The European integration does not imply the way towards a new older brother. We have commitments taken within the Association Agreement and commitments for accessing funds. They will be observed and fulfilled, along with our obligation to implement policies for strengthening the rule of law state in Moldova, for an inclusive society and the observance of the human rights and fundamental freedoms. We will continue the country’s European integration with the same determination, as Moldova deserves becoming an EU member one day. 

I am happy that we have managed to elaborate and submit to the European Parliament the Joint Declaration of the parliaments of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, thereby requesting the opening of a prospect of our countries’ joining the European Union. We remain firm on the position that Moldova’s place is in the European family and the effort each of us is making daily will turn our state into a country in which people will have confidence and where they would like to live.   

I welcome with satisfaction the continuation of the strategic dialogue with the USA, as well as the creation of the friendship group with Moldova within the U.S. Congress. I sent a special invitation, signed by the speakers of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, to Speaker Paul Ryan to visit our region.  

We have managed to deepen the Trans-Atlantic cooperation, especially on the dimension of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, by raising the awareness of the MPs to the problems of defence and security, especially on the civilian dimension of security, science and technology, economy, defence and security.   

Being aware of the role of the institutions in the development of our state, we started the reformation of the central authorities. We spoke out, along with our voters, for a government of professionals. Less ministries, less bureaucracy. Efficiency and quality - this is what we expect from the reformed cabinet. The commitment of the parliament and government, assumed through the roadmap for the priority reforms’ agenda, remains an instrument which proved its efficiency in ensuring the good governance. Also, we will orient the efforts for the adoption and implementation, along with the government, of the measures from the Action Plan concerning the commitments from the Moldova – European Union Association Agreement, for the 2017 year.     

During the spring session, we managed to promote the sets of laws meant to consolidate our earlier efforts to develop a stable and stimulating financial and banking system for the business environment. By simplifying the procedures and reducing the pressure on entrepreneurs, we confirm that we are a pro-business governance, which strongly believes that, only in partnership with businesspeople, we can edify a country where each person has a decent life.     

We created conditions for the return of the one billion of dollars. To this end, the agency for the recovery of embezzled assets, along with other institutions strengthened by the earlier adopted legislation, must yield results. In the beginning of the session, we voted the law on integrity, the National Strategy of Integrity and Anticorruption and other norms which, applied with good faith, will bring the confidence of people in authorities and institutions.      

As many as 1,925 reports, notifications and amendments to draft legislative acts have been worked out since the beginning of this year. We have managed to approve the amendment of the Constitution and provide an extra guarantee for the independence of the ombudsman.  

We learn to promote an inclusive policy through multiple mechanisms which involve people in the process of taking decisions, by the laws adjusted to the gender dimension and through the norms worked out on the parliamentary platform of consultation and parliamentary control, for carrying out the policy of Moldova’s reintegration and the group of cooperation between Moldova’s parliament and the People Assembly of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. 

I rely a lot on the partnership we made with the civil society and players on the mass media market. We are aware that we need a legislation which is to take into account the challenges, as well as the technological progress of the last years. With the support of the international partners, we created a platform where the end beneficiaries of the media legislation are to produce inclusively a new Audiovisual Code. I committed to promote the projects elaborated by the working group, as I am personally interested in us having a free and independent press.    

In this session, we approved about 125 laws and 47 decisions, as well as another 137 drafts voted in the first reading. Not less important is that we managed to organize discussions and hearings on different draft laws, from the social ones, such as the system of meal vouchers, to technical and political regulations, such as the case of the electoral system. All together, we learn that the good decisions are taken following wide discussions with the academic environment, experts and politicians. Also, we learn to use ever more the parliamentary control, in order to see the effect of the norms we adopt.    

I want to thank people for support and understanding that, although we cannot repair everything and immediately, we have progress and have results. We will work in continuation in a team with the society. Moldova succeeds.