Moldovan PM asks Interior Ministry's employees to ensure public order on day of general local elections

Chisinau, 18 October /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Maia Sandu, in the beginning of a today’s cabinet meeting, demanded new information on the case of those 73 batches of infested fish which got to be sold in Moldova, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.  

The PM stressed that the fish had been imported in Moldova with the glaring infringement of the legislation; thus, an inquiry was initiated, as a result of which the people involved are to be suspended from office and subsequently sanctioned.  

In this respect, the prime minister instructed the notification of the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) and other institutions in charge of advancing investigations. “Please, inform us, be transparent; report any infringement you discover properly both to us and the law-enforcement bodies at the Prosecutor General’s Office, National Anticorruption Centre (CNA), as the institution where you work was set up to protect us, to ensure the quality of food products,” Maia Sandu said.    

According to the information reported by the ANSA deputy director general, Ela Malai at the cabinet meeting, following the press statements made by the PM, an order of internal investigation was issued; the head of the laboratory of the Republican Veterinary Diagnostic Centre was suspended from office. “We convened the council of the laboratory urgently; its composition was changed and an audit mission works there. All analysis bulletins regarding those 73 batches of fish were submitted also to the academic environment, which is to give its opinion in the degree of infesting and danger of consuming this fish. Massive work is carried out in Moldova’s districts; all inspectors are in mission of control at social institutions. We will inform you about the findings of the investigation,” Ela Mala added.     

Another important subject tackled by the prime minister at the cabinet meeting was focused on ensuring security and order on the day of the general local elections due on 20 October.

Maia Sandu demanded that the law-enforcers be vigilant on the days before the ballot, as well as on the day of the polls. The PM specified that policemen would have to prevent and document cases of law’s infringement, if they are discovered. “We have promised free and fair elections. Cases still happen when they try to corrupt voters, to harass candidates. I ask the law-enforcers to get involved and answer citizens’ requests, as they report these abuses, these attempts of harassing or corrupting. I want that, both on the day the elections and on the days ahead of the polls, the things happen correctly, legally, so that all citizens express their will freely,” the prime minister said.        

Another novelty announced in the beginning of the cabinet meeting regards the taking over the office of acting director general of the Diaspora Relations Bureau (BRD) by Valeriu Turea, after the contest for the post of BRD director general had ended with no winner. Earlier, the former Moldovan ambassador to Portugal, Valeriu Turea, has held the position of BRD head. In this respect, the prime minister reiterated the importance of promoting Diaspora’s interests in the relation with the state’s institutions, thus contributing to the settlement of problems outside Moldova.