{"id":443185,"date":"2016-12-25T11:35:04","date_gmt":"2016-12-25T11:35:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/?p=443185"},"modified":"2016-12-25T11:35:04","modified_gmt":"2016-12-25T11:35:04","slug":"moldova-weekly-news-digest-25-december-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-weekly-news-digest-25-december-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Moldova Weekly News Digest, 25 December 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>-On December 23rd, Igor Dodon <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/watch-inauguration-new-president-moldova-igor-dodon-live\/\">was inaugurated<\/a> as President of the Republic of Moldova. The ceremony took place at the Palace of the Republic in the center of Chi\u0219in\u0103u. Dodon took oath of office, but not before holding a speech in front of his supporters and protesters.<br \/>\n<code><iframe style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fprivesc.eu%2Fvideos%2F10155659779357942%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/code><\/p>\n<p>Deputies of the Liberal Party, Liberal-Democratic Party, Communists&#8217; Party and the European People&#8217;s Party, as well as Defense Minister <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-defense-minister-salaru-refuses-attend-inauguration-president-igor-dodon-not-president\/\">Anatol \u0218alaru<\/a> refused to attend Dodon&#8217;s inauguration.<\/p>\n<p>-After his inauguration on December 23rd, Moldova President Igor Dodon <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-president-igor-dodon-met-russia-deputy-pm-dmitry-rogozin-inauguration\/\">had a meeting<\/a> with the Russia Deputy Prime-Minister, Dmitry Rogozin, at Chi\u0219in\u0103u at the Presidential residency at 3AM on 24 of December.<br \/>\nDodon and Rogozin discussed the current state of the bilateral relations and the perspectives of the Transnistrian conflict settlement. The parties also planned the future topics of discussion at the next meeting of Dodon with Russia President Vladimir Putin.<br \/>\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/m-179-696x524-696x524.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"524\" \/><br \/>\nThe meeting between Dodon and Putin is planned on 17 December 2017.<\/p>\n<p>-Vlad Plahotniuc was unanimously elected President of the Democratic Party of Moldova on December 24th, at the 8th party congress. The oligarch enters his new position after Marian Lupu <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/marian-lupu-leaves-position-president-democratic-party-moldova\/\" target=\"_blank\">recently stepped down<\/a> from the leadership.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 706px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/15621713_10155664498237942_3639913909798096792_n-696x464.jpg\" alt=\"Source: Privesc.EU\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Privesc.EU<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Despite the fact he holds no governmental position, Vlad Plahotniuc is known for his control over the Government, judiciary branch, prosecution system and the anti-corruption bodies through his proxy Democratic Party, vassal-parties and particular persons in the top of management of Moldovan institutions. There are suspicions that Plahotniuc secretly supported Igor Dodon in the Presidential campaign by using his media outlets to purposely denigrate the counter-candidate, Maia Sandu.<\/p>\n<p>Vlad Plahotniuc is often called the one and only oligarch left in Moldova, the <em>grey eminence<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em>the puppeteer<\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em>of Moldovan politics.<\/p>\n<p>-On December 18th, the Party of Socialists of Moldova <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-socialists-party-elects-zinaida-greceanii-president-sets-cancelling-association-agreement-eu-federalization-priority\/\">held<\/a> its 14th Congress, gathering about 800 delegates from Moldova and other 16 states. As Moldova\u2019s President-elect Igor Dodon had to cede his party membership, former Prime-Minister Zinaida Grecean\u00eei was elected as new President of the Socialists\u2019 Party.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/20161218-323-696x477.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"477\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Zinaida Grecean\u00eei held the position of Prime-Minister of Moldova between 31 March 2008 and 14 September 2009, during the ruling of the Communists\u2019 Party. During 2009-2010, Grecean\u00eei was a deputy from the Communist lists. In November 2011, she, along with Igor Dodon and Veronica Abramciuc, abandoned the Communist caucus and joined the Socialists\u2019 Party of Moldova.<\/p>\n<p>-Romanian member of the European Parliament and vice-President of the Budget Committee, Siegfried Mure\u0219an, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/romanian-mep-asks-european-commission-examine-moldovas-draft-law-capital-liberalization-fiscal-stimulation\/\">is asking in a letter<\/a> the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, to demand explanations from the Moldovan authorities about the necessity of the draft law on capital liberalization and fiscal stimulation. Mure\u0219an says that the law would only benefit several persons with <em>\u201csignificant properties that cannot be justified\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Mure\u0219an asks Commissioner Juncker to involve the Commission in a dialogue with the authorities of Moldova to ask for further motivation and explanation of the \u201ccapital liberalization and fiscal stimulation law\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>-Four NGOs from Romania <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/4-ngos-romania-ask-authorities-consider-suspending-loan-moldova-capital-liberalization-law-approved\/\">are demanding<\/a> the Romanian President, Prime-Minister and the main parties to consider suspending the loan agreement with Moldova, if the Parliament from Chi\u0219in\u0103u approves the law on the capital liberalization and fiscal stimulation and the one cancelling the obligation of public officials to declare their \u201cliberalized capital\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The civil society organizations think that the laws would allow the laundering of the illegally obtained money without investigation, would allow pardoning the public officials with undeclared capital in exchange for a 2% tax and would provide fiscal amnesty for all penalties accumulated by physical and juridical persons.<\/p>\n<p>-Experts from the World Bank\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/world-bank-moldovas-capital-liberalization-law-integrity-risks-needs-significant-revision\/\"><em>observed a number of integrity risks<\/em><\/a>\u00a0in the &#8220;capital liberalization and fiscal stimulation law&#8221;<em>\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0communicated them to the Moldovan Government on December 15th. The experts, acknowledging the concerns of the Moldovan civil society, hope that the new law\u00a0<em>will not be approved without significant revision<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>-On December 16th, the Board of Director of the World Bank <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/world-bank-offers-45-million-budgetary-support-moldova\/\">approved<\/a> the 45 million US dollars Second Development Policy Operation (DPO-2) for the Republic of Moldova.<\/p>\n<p>The DPO-2 budgetary aid is aiming at supporting the Government of Moldova to\u00a0<em>\u201cmake business regulation more transparent and less burdensome, improve bank regulation and supervision and to spend public money more efficiently\u201d<\/em>. The ultimate purpose would be to encourage businesses to invest and create jobs in Moldova, but also to focus public expenditures where it is most useful.<\/p>\n<p>-The possible date of joining the European Union for the Republic of Moldova would not be before 2035, writes Ryan Heath at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/the-race-for-eu-membership-neighborhood-turkey-uk-european-commission\/\">Politico.EU<\/a>. According to Heath, the national governments of EU member states want to ensure stability and security in EU\u2019s neighborhood, but are not willing to let neighboring countries in before 2025.<\/p>\n<p>The advantages for Moldova in its way to joint the EU would be, Heath thinks, that it has <em>\u201cstrong ties, a shared language and a similar culture to its neighbor Romania\u201d<\/em>. On the other side, Moldova will be resisted, because it <em>\u201chas a breakaway republic, Transnistria, supported by a Russian military presence, and is poorest of the prospective EU members\u201d.\u00a0<\/em>Another obstacle on the way to EU membership is the recent election of anti-European President, Igor Dodon. Overall, Moldova would have a 50% chance of joining.<\/p>\n<p>-&#8220;<em>Following Georgia\u2019s lead, Moldova wants to normalize its relations with Russia. However, this can only be partially fulfilled within the framework of bilateral relations&#8221;, <\/em>writes Andrey Devyatkov at <a href=\"http:\/\/intersectionproject.eu\/article\/russia-europe\/moldova-integration-integrations\">Intersection<\/a>. Devyatkov thinks that Moldova is trying to balance the relation with Russia, at the same time relying on EU funds. Nevertheless, the current government backed by Vlad Plahotniuc\u00a0would<em> not initiate a compromise with Russia alone since they are dependent on political and financial support from the EU and US to a large extent.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>-After <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistria-leader-vadim-krasnoselski-met-russia-deputy-pm-dmitry-rogozin-moscow\/\" target=\"_blank\">his visit to Moscow<\/a>, the so-called president of the separatist Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselski, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistria-leader-vadim-krasnoselski-52-negotiations-must-continue\/\">declared<\/a> that the settlement process between Moldova and the Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic (PMR) is important for the Russian Federation. According to Krasnoselski, a matter of principle is that the negotiation process must be continued especially in the 5+2 format.<\/p>\n<p>Previously,\u00a0the newly elected leader of the separatist Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselski, met the Deputy Prime-Minister of Russia, Dmitry Rogozin, at Moscow.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/15622615_1275776812445655_41897996771175456_n-696x463.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>-On December 23rd, Igor Dodon was inaugurated as President of the Republic of Moldova. The ceremony took place at the Palace of the Republic in the center of Chi\u0219in\u0103u. Dodon took oath of office, but not before holding a speech in front of his supporters and protesters. Deputies of the Liberal Party, Liberal-Democratic Party, Communists&#8217; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":443186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-443185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-important-en"],"content_social_share":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>-On December 23rd, Igor Dodon <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/watch-inauguration-new-president-moldova-igor-dodon-live\/\">was inaugurated<\/a> as President of the Republic of Moldova. The ceremony took place at the Palace of the Republic in the center of Chi\u0219in\u0103u. Dodon took oath of office, but not before holding a speech in front of his supporters and protesters.<br \/>\n<code><iframe style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fprivesc.eu%2Fvideos%2F10155659779357942%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/code><\/p>\n<p>Deputies of the Liberal Party, Liberal-Democratic Party, Communists&#8217; Party and the European People&#8217;s Party, as well as Defense Minister <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-defense-minister-salaru-refuses-attend-inauguration-president-igor-dodon-not-president\/\">Anatol \u0218alaru<\/a> refused to attend Dodon&#8217;s inauguration.<\/p>\n<p>-After his inauguration on December 23rd, Moldova President Igor Dodon <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-president-igor-dodon-met-russia-deputy-pm-dmitry-rogozin-inauguration\/\">had a meeting<\/a> with the Russia Deputy Prime-Minister, Dmitry Rogozin, at Chi\u0219in\u0103u at the Presidential residency at 3AM on 24 of December.<br \/>\nDodon and Rogozin discussed the current state of the bilateral relations and the perspectives of the Transnistrian conflict settlement. The parties also planned the future topics of discussion at the next meeting of Dodon with Russia President Vladimir Putin.<br \/>\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/m-179-696x524-696x524.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"524\" \/><br \/>\nThe meeting between Dodon and Putin is planned on 17 December 2017.<\/p>\n<p>-Vlad Plahotniuc was unanimously elected President of the Democratic Party of Moldova on December 24th, at the 8th party congress. The oligarch enters his new position after Marian Lupu <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/marian-lupu-leaves-position-president-democratic-party-moldova\/\" target=\"_blank\">recently stepped down<\/a> from the leadership.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 706px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/15621713_10155664498237942_3639913909798096792_n-696x464.jpg\" alt=\"Source: Privesc.EU\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Privesc.EU<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Despite the fact he holds no governmental position, Vlad Plahotniuc is known for his control over the Government, judiciary branch, prosecution system and the anti-corruption bodies through his proxy Democratic Party, vassal-parties and particular persons in the top of management of Moldovan institutions. There are suspicions that Plahotniuc secretly supported Igor Dodon in the Presidential campaign by using his media outlets to purposely denigrate the counter-candidate, Maia Sandu.<\/p>\n<p>Vlad Plahotniuc is often called the one and only oligarch left in Moldova, the <em>grey eminence<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em>the puppeteer<\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em>of Moldovan politics.<\/p>\n<p>-On December 18th, the Party of Socialists of Moldova <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-socialists-party-elects-zinaida-greceanii-president-sets-cancelling-association-agreement-eu-federalization-priority\/\">held<\/a> its 14th Congress, gathering about 800 delegates from Moldova and other 16 states. As Moldova\u2019s President-elect Igor Dodon had to cede his party membership, former Prime-Minister Zinaida Grecean\u00eei was elected as new President of the Socialists\u2019 Party.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/20161218-323-696x477.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"477\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Zinaida Grecean\u00eei held the position of Prime-Minister of Moldova between 31 March 2008 and 14 September 2009, during the ruling of the Communists\u2019 Party. During 2009-2010, Grecean\u00eei was a deputy from the Communist lists. In November 2011, she, along with Igor Dodon and Veronica Abramciuc, abandoned the Communist caucus and joined the Socialists\u2019 Party of Moldova.<\/p>\n<p>-Romanian member of the European Parliament and vice-President of the Budget Committee, Siegfried Mure\u0219an, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/romanian-mep-asks-european-commission-examine-moldovas-draft-law-capital-liberalization-fiscal-stimulation\/\">is asking in a letter<\/a> the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, to demand explanations from the Moldovan authorities about the necessity of the draft law on capital liberalization and fiscal stimulation. Mure\u0219an says that the law would only benefit several persons with <em>\u201csignificant properties that cannot be justified\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Mure\u0219an asks Commissioner Juncker to involve the Commission in a dialogue with the authorities of Moldova to ask for further motivation and explanation of the \u201ccapital liberalization and fiscal stimulation law\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>-Four NGOs from Romania <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/4-ngos-romania-ask-authorities-consider-suspending-loan-moldova-capital-liberalization-law-approved\/\">are demanding<\/a> the Romanian President, Prime-Minister and the main parties to consider suspending the loan agreement with Moldova, if the Parliament from Chi\u0219in\u0103u approves the law on the capital liberalization and fiscal stimulation and the one cancelling the obligation of public officials to declare their \u201cliberalized capital\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The civil society organizations think that the laws would allow the laundering of the illegally obtained money without investigation, would allow pardoning the public officials with undeclared capital in exchange for a 2% tax and would provide fiscal amnesty for all penalties accumulated by physical and juridical persons.<\/p>\n<p>-Experts from the World Bank\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/world-bank-moldovas-capital-liberalization-law-integrity-risks-needs-significant-revision\/\"><em>observed a number of integrity risks<\/em><\/a>\u00a0in the &#8220;capital liberalization and fiscal stimulation law&#8221;<em>\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0communicated them to the Moldovan Government on December 15th. The experts, acknowledging the concerns of the Moldovan civil society, hope that the new law\u00a0<em>will not be approved without significant revision<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>-On December 16th, the Board of Director of the World Bank <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/world-bank-offers-45-million-budgetary-support-moldova\/\">approved<\/a> the 45 million US dollars Second Development Policy Operation (DPO-2) for the Republic of Moldova.<\/p>\n<p>The DPO-2 budgetary aid is aiming at supporting the Government of Moldova to\u00a0<em>\u201cmake business regulation more transparent and less burdensome, improve bank regulation and supervision and to spend public money more efficiently\u201d<\/em>. The ultimate purpose would be to encourage businesses to invest and create jobs in Moldova, but also to focus public expenditures where it is most useful.<\/p>\n<p>-The possible date of joining the European Union for the Republic of Moldova would not be before 2035, writes Ryan Heath at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/the-race-for-eu-membership-neighborhood-turkey-uk-european-commission\/\">Politico.EU<\/a>. According to Heath, the national governments of EU member states want to ensure stability and security in EU\u2019s neighborhood, but are not willing to let neighboring countries in before 2025.<\/p>\n<p>The advantages for Moldova in its way to joint the EU would be, Heath thinks, that it has <em>\u201cstrong ties, a shared language and a similar culture to its neighbor Romania\u201d<\/em>. On the other side, Moldova will be resisted, because it <em>\u201chas a breakaway republic, Transnistria, supported by a Russian military presence, and is poorest of the prospective EU members\u201d.\u00a0<\/em>Another obstacle on the way to EU membership is the recent election of anti-European President, Igor Dodon. Overall, Moldova would have a 50% chance of joining.<\/p>\n<p>-&#8220;<em>Following Georgia\u2019s lead, Moldova wants to normalize its relations with Russia. However, this can only be partially fulfilled within the framework of bilateral relations&#8221;, <\/em>writes Andrey Devyatkov at <a href=\"http:\/\/intersectionproject.eu\/article\/russia-europe\/moldova-integration-integrations\">Intersection<\/a>. Devyatkov thinks that Moldova is trying to balance the relation with Russia, at the same time relying on EU funds. Nevertheless, the current government backed by Vlad Plahotniuc\u00a0would<em> not initiate a compromise with Russia alone since they are dependent on political and financial support from the EU and US to a large extent.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>-After <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistria-leader-vadim-krasnoselski-met-russia-deputy-pm-dmitry-rogozin-moscow\/\" target=\"_blank\">his visit to Moscow<\/a>, the so-called president of the separatist Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselski, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistria-leader-vadim-krasnoselski-52-negotiations-must-continue\/\">declared<\/a> that the settlement process between Moldova and the Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic (PMR) is important for the Russian Federation. According to Krasnoselski, a matter of principle is that the negotiation process must be continued especially in the 5+2 format.<\/p>\n<p>Previously,\u00a0the newly elected leader of the separatist Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselski, met the Deputy Prime-Minister of Russia, Dmitry Rogozin, at Moscow.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/15622615_1275776812445655_41897996771175456_n-696x463.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" \/><\/p>\n<div class='heateorSssClear'><\/div><div  class='heateor_sss_sharing_container heateor_sss_horizontal_sharing' data-heateor-sss-href='https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-weekly-news-digest-25-december-2016\/' data-heateor-sss-no-counts=\"1\"><div class='heateor_sss_sharing_title' style=\"font-weight:bold\" ><\/div><div class=\"heateor_sss_sharing_ul\"><a aria-label=\"Facebook\" class=\"heateor_sss_facebook\" 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