{"id":443469,"date":"2017-02-19T21:33:24","date_gmt":"2017-02-19T21:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/?p=443469"},"modified":"2017-02-19T21:33:24","modified_gmt":"2017-02-19T21:33:24","slug":"moldova-weekly-news-digest-19-february-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-weekly-news-digest-19-february-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Moldova Weekly News Digest, 19 February 2017"},"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 February 13th, the Moldovan Prime-Minister, Pavel Filip, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/pm-pavel-filip-president-petro-poroshenko-moldova-counting-ukraines-support-balance-transnistrian-dialogue\/\" target=\"_blank\">had a meeting<\/a> with Ukraine\u2019s President, Petro Poroshenko. Filip stressed that the regional solidarity in the settlement of such conflicts like the Transnistrian one is important, with Chi\u0219in\u0103u betting on Kyiv\u2019s support in an equal dialogue:<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cIt is important that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are partners in promoting the norms of international law in the region and reciprocally support promoting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both states\u201d,\u00a0<\/em>said\u00a0Filip.<\/p>\n<p>-On February 13th, the Moldovan Prime-Minister, Pavel Filip, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-pm-pavel-filip-agrees-ukraine-pm-groysman-introduce-three-joint-border-checkpoints\/\" target=\"_blank\">signed<\/a> the Moldo-Ukrainian Roadmap on the cooperation development for 2017 with his Ukrainian colleague, Volodymyr Groysman, during the visit at Kyiv. The neighboring countries plan to cooperate in consolidating\u00a0democratic institutions, combating corruption and adapting the business environment, but also in increasing the bilateral trade, in the supply of electrical energy and the reverse supply of natural gas in\u00a0<em>crisis situations<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/02\/foto-_j0a5401-696x464.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Filip and Groysman, along with the border police chiefs of both countries, signed the protocol of cooperation between the border police forces of Ukraine and Moldova. The agreement stipulates the exchange of information on the international traffic and the introduction of joint control\u00a0at the border checkpoints \u201cPervomaisk-Cuciurgan\u201d (tangent to the Transnistrian region), \u201cMaiaki-Palanca-Udobnoe\u201d and \u201cGiurgiule\u0219ti-Reni\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the parties clarified their positions on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-environment-ministry-warns-ukraine-effects-building-6-hydro-power-plants-nistru-river\/\" target=\"_blank\">controversial construction of other 6 hydro power plants<\/a> on the Nistru river and the work of the current \u201cNovodnestrovsk\u201d dam. Both PM agreed to form a joint commission to evaluate the impact of the hydro power plants on Nistru, taking in account its great importance for fresh water supply for Chi\u0219in\u0103u, Odessa and several localities in both countries. Filip declared that Ukraine did not withdraw their plans on the hydro energetic projects on Nistru, but the process will be monitored by the Moldovan Government together with EU experts.<\/p>\n<p>-Transnistrian cars can now be registered in Moldova with a 70% discount. The decision in this sense was approved by the Moldovan Government on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistrian-cars-can-now-registered-moldova-70-discount\/\" target=\"_blank\">February 15th<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>-The separatist authorities of Transnistria see the American Hummers\u00a0in Moldova as a provocation to the Russian peace-keepers and troops in the region. At least, this is what Oleg Belyakov, the representative of Transnistria in the Joint Control Commission, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistria-authorities-american-hummers-donated-moldova-provocation\/\" target=\"_blank\">says<\/a> about the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/us-donate-41-hmmwvs-trucks-moldova-national-army\/\" target=\"_blank\">US donation of 41 HMMWVs and trucks to the Army of Moldova<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement for Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Belyakov declares that the situation is a\u00a0<em>provocation, directed against the Russian peace-keepers conducting their mission in the region<\/em>. The hysteria goes further:\u00a0<em>the Romanians would want to conduct together with the Moldovans some military exercises<\/em>. Belyakov says that Romania has recently agreed with Moldova to hold military exercises at Bulboaca training field, a thing hard to believe taking in account President Dodon\u2019s decision to prohibit any joint exercises with the Romanian(-NATO) troops.<\/p>\n<p>On February 15th, the National Army of Moldova <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/us-donate-41-hmmwvs-trucks-moldova-national-army\/\">received<\/a> a shipment of military vehicles from the Government of the United States of America, based on the agreement of cooperation signed on 21 March 1994. The vehicles are reportedly unarmed.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"740\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pyFR9GFDDB4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In 2014, the US donated some other 39 HMMWV and 10 trailers for the military vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>-The Moldovan Army <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-army-cancels-participation-platinum-eagle-exercise-romania-request-president-dodon\/\" target=\"_blank\">canceled the participation<\/a> in \u201cPlatinum Eagle\u201d exercise in Romania, at the request of President Dodon. The soldiers of the National Army were not allowed to participate, during February 20-March 1, at the \u201cPlatinum Eagle\u201d joint exercises of troops from Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>President Dodon might not have competences in this case, because the previous President Nicolae Timofti approved on 24 November 2016 the Plan for external activity of the Defense Ministry and the National Army for 2017.<\/p>\n<p>Dodon motivated the refusal to allow deployment of troops to the joint exercise with the lack of an approved Defense Minister (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/president-igor-dodon-dismisses-defense-minister-anatol-salaru\/\" target=\"_blank\">Anatol \u0218alaru was dismissed<\/a>) and lack of arguments in favor of the participation.<\/p>\n<p>-President Dodon <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/president-dodon-wants-2-referendums-get-competence-dissolve-parliament-cancel-one-billion-law\/\" target=\"_blank\">wants 2 referendums<\/a>: to get competence to dissolve the Parliament, to cancel \u201cone billion law\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The President of Moldova, Igor Dodon, recently announced in his interview for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.europalibera.org\/a\/28309544.html\" target=\"_blank\">Free Europe<\/a> that until the end of February he would come with an initiative to modify the Constitution. His intention is to ask the Moldovan people to give him the right to dissolve the Parliament, in other circumstances than those stipulated by the Constitution. Dodon says he already has four-five variants of modifications, allegedly found in international reports and in semi-presidential states.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the President stressed that he is not giving up on his initiative to cancel the so-called \u201cone-billion law\u201d, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/igor-dodon-initiates-draft-law-cancel-payment-135-billion-lei-national-bank\/\" target=\"_blank\">the payment of 13,5 billion lei to the National Bank for the unpaid loans of the three failed banks<\/a>. Moreover, when the Finance Ministry <a href=\"http:\/\/gov.md\/sites\/default\/files\/document\/attachments\/intr04_111.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">rejected<\/a> his proposal to cancel the payment, Dodon posted on his Facebook page that he has other mechanisms to avoid <em>\u201cputting the reimbursement of the stolen billions from the banking sector on the shoulders of citizens\u201d<\/em>. He would propose those solutions to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/imf-evaluation-mission-visiting-moldova-february-14-28\/\" target=\"_blank\">visiting IMF mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>-Gazprom <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/gazprom-rejected-moldovas-proposal-separate-gas-debt-transnistria\/\" target=\"_blank\">rejected the proposal<\/a> of the Moldovan Government to restructure the debt for consumed natural gas of $6,5 billion US dollars.<\/p>\n<p>The restructuring of the gas debt included a plan of handing some assets of Moldova\u2019s national\u00a0distributor Moldovagaz to the Russian corporation, but also the separation of the debts of the right bank of Nistru and the left one- the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic. PM Filip proposed to transfer Transnistria\u2019s debt of $5,7909 billion (88,6% of Moldova\u2019s total $6,5 billion- 1 January 2017) to the local company\u00a0<em>Tiraspoltransgaz\u00a0<\/em>and ultimately, to the local separatist administration.<\/p>\n<p>-On February 15th, the National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/stats-moldovas-exports-eu-increased-651-general-trade-deficit-22-2016\/\" target=\"_blank\">published<\/a> the stats on the external trade of the Republic.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/02\/exp_decembrie_2016_3-696x244.png\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The data reveal an increasing trade and a better trade balance with the European Union member states and an opposite situation regarding the\u00a0<em>traditional\u00a0<\/em>CIS markets.<\/p>\n<p>-On February 16th, the President of Moldova\u2019s Constitutional Court, Alexandru T\u0103nase, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-constitutional-court-president-asks-parliament-create-new-election-law\/\" target=\"_blank\">declared<\/a> that the Parliament needs to create and adopt a new Electoral Code, one with special provisions for every type of elections.<\/p>\n<p>T\u0103nase asked the Parliament to regulate differently the procedures of examining the complaints during the two-rounds elections, including on the voting day. Other important measures proposed by the Constitutional judge were: introducing additional criteria for establishing the number of voting centers and voting ballots abroad, the two-days elections and the electronic vote.<\/p>\n<p>A special attention was drawn upon the sanctions for voters\u2019 corruption and the necessity to introduce immediate sanctions for any attempt of involvement of the religious groups in the electoral campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>He added that the Parliament must modify the legislation on the responsibility of mass-media during the electoral campaigns, so that efficient tools of sanctioning like suspending the broadcasting are instituted for those outlets who violate the impartiality.<\/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 February 13th, the Moldovan Prime-Minister, Pavel Filip, had a meeting with Ukraine\u2019s President, Petro Poroshenko. Filip stressed that the regional solidarity in the settlement of such conflicts like the Transnistrian one is important, with Chi\u0219in\u0103u betting on Kyiv\u2019s support in an equal dialogue: \u201cIt is important that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":443443,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-443469","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 February 13th, the Moldovan Prime-Minister, Pavel Filip, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/pm-pavel-filip-president-petro-poroshenko-moldova-counting-ukraines-support-balance-transnistrian-dialogue\/\" target=\"_blank\">had a meeting<\/a> with Ukraine\u2019s President, Petro Poroshenko. Filip stressed that the regional solidarity in the settlement of such conflicts like the Transnistrian one is important, with Chi\u0219in\u0103u betting on Kyiv\u2019s support in an equal dialogue:<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cIt is important that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are partners in promoting the norms of international law in the region and reciprocally support promoting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both states\u201d,\u00a0<\/em>said\u00a0Filip.<\/p>\n<p>-On February 13th, the Moldovan Prime-Minister, Pavel Filip, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-pm-pavel-filip-agrees-ukraine-pm-groysman-introduce-three-joint-border-checkpoints\/\" target=\"_blank\">signed<\/a> the Moldo-Ukrainian Roadmap on the cooperation development for 2017 with his Ukrainian colleague, Volodymyr Groysman, during the visit at Kyiv. The neighboring countries plan to cooperate in consolidating\u00a0democratic institutions, combating corruption and adapting the business environment, but also in increasing the bilateral trade, in the supply of electrical energy and the reverse supply of natural gas in\u00a0<em>crisis situations<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/02\/foto-_j0a5401-696x464.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Filip and Groysman, along with the border police chiefs of both countries, signed the protocol of cooperation between the border police forces of Ukraine and Moldova. The agreement stipulates the exchange of information on the international traffic and the introduction of joint control\u00a0at the border checkpoints \u201cPervomaisk-Cuciurgan\u201d (tangent to the Transnistrian region), \u201cMaiaki-Palanca-Udobnoe\u201d and \u201cGiurgiule\u0219ti-Reni\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the parties clarified their positions on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-environment-ministry-warns-ukraine-effects-building-6-hydro-power-plants-nistru-river\/\" target=\"_blank\">controversial construction of other 6 hydro power plants<\/a> on the Nistru river and the work of the current \u201cNovodnestrovsk\u201d dam. Both PM agreed to form a joint commission to evaluate the impact of the hydro power plants on Nistru, taking in account its great importance for fresh water supply for Chi\u0219in\u0103u, Odessa and several localities in both countries. Filip declared that Ukraine did not withdraw their plans on the hydro energetic projects on Nistru, but the process will be monitored by the Moldovan Government together with EU experts.<\/p>\n<p>-Transnistrian cars can now be registered in Moldova with a 70% discount. The decision in this sense was approved by the Moldovan Government on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistrian-cars-can-now-registered-moldova-70-discount\/\" target=\"_blank\">February 15th<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>-The separatist authorities of Transnistria see the American Hummers\u00a0in Moldova as a provocation to the Russian peace-keepers and troops in the region. At least, this is what Oleg Belyakov, the representative of Transnistria in the Joint Control Commission, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/transnistria-authorities-american-hummers-donated-moldova-provocation\/\" target=\"_blank\">says<\/a> about the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/us-donate-41-hmmwvs-trucks-moldova-national-army\/\" target=\"_blank\">US donation of 41 HMMWVs and trucks to the Army of Moldova<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement for Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Belyakov declares that the situation is a\u00a0<em>provocation, directed against the Russian peace-keepers conducting their mission in the region<\/em>. The hysteria goes further:\u00a0<em>the Romanians would want to conduct together with the Moldovans some military exercises<\/em>. Belyakov says that Romania has recently agreed with Moldova to hold military exercises at Bulboaca training field, a thing hard to believe taking in account President Dodon\u2019s decision to prohibit any joint exercises with the Romanian(-NATO) troops.<\/p>\n<p>On February 15th, the National Army of Moldova <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/us-donate-41-hmmwvs-trucks-moldova-national-army\/\">received<\/a> a shipment of military vehicles from the Government of the United States of America, based on the agreement of cooperation signed on 21 March 1994. The vehicles are reportedly unarmed.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"740\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pyFR9GFDDB4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In 2014, the US donated some other 39 HMMWV and 10 trailers for the military vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>-The Moldovan Army <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-army-cancels-participation-platinum-eagle-exercise-romania-request-president-dodon\/\" target=\"_blank\">canceled the participation<\/a> in \u201cPlatinum Eagle\u201d exercise in Romania, at the request of President Dodon. The soldiers of the National Army were not allowed to participate, during February 20-March 1, at the \u201cPlatinum Eagle\u201d joint exercises of troops from Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>President Dodon might not have competences in this case, because the previous President Nicolae Timofti approved on 24 November 2016 the Plan for external activity of the Defense Ministry and the National Army for 2017.<\/p>\n<p>Dodon motivated the refusal to allow deployment of troops to the joint exercise with the lack of an approved Defense Minister (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/president-igor-dodon-dismisses-defense-minister-anatol-salaru\/\" target=\"_blank\">Anatol \u0218alaru was dismissed<\/a>) and lack of arguments in favor of the participation.<\/p>\n<p>-President Dodon <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/president-dodon-wants-2-referendums-get-competence-dissolve-parliament-cancel-one-billion-law\/\" target=\"_blank\">wants 2 referendums<\/a>: to get competence to dissolve the Parliament, to cancel \u201cone billion law\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The President of Moldova, Igor Dodon, recently announced in his interview for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.europalibera.org\/a\/28309544.html\" target=\"_blank\">Free Europe<\/a> that until the end of February he would come with an initiative to modify the Constitution. His intention is to ask the Moldovan people to give him the right to dissolve the Parliament, in other circumstances than those stipulated by the Constitution. Dodon says he already has four-five variants of modifications, allegedly found in international reports and in semi-presidential states.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the President stressed that he is not giving up on his initiative to cancel the so-called \u201cone-billion law\u201d, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/igor-dodon-initiates-draft-law-cancel-payment-135-billion-lei-national-bank\/\" target=\"_blank\">the payment of 13,5 billion lei to the National Bank for the unpaid loans of the three failed banks<\/a>. Moreover, when the Finance Ministry <a href=\"http:\/\/gov.md\/sites\/default\/files\/document\/attachments\/intr04_111.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">rejected<\/a> his proposal to cancel the payment, Dodon posted on his Facebook page that he has other mechanisms to avoid <em>\u201cputting the reimbursement of the stolen billions from the banking sector on the shoulders of citizens\u201d<\/em>. He would propose those solutions to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/imf-evaluation-mission-visiting-moldova-february-14-28\/\" target=\"_blank\">visiting IMF mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>-Gazprom <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/gazprom-rejected-moldovas-proposal-separate-gas-debt-transnistria\/\" target=\"_blank\">rejected the proposal<\/a> of the Moldovan Government to restructure the debt for consumed natural gas of $6,5 billion US dollars.<\/p>\n<p>The restructuring of the gas debt included a plan of handing some assets of Moldova\u2019s national\u00a0distributor Moldovagaz to the Russian corporation, but also the separation of the debts of the right bank of Nistru and the left one- the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic. PM Filip proposed to transfer Transnistria\u2019s debt of $5,7909 billion (88,6% of Moldova\u2019s total $6,5 billion- 1 January 2017) to the local company\u00a0<em>Tiraspoltransgaz\u00a0<\/em>and ultimately, to the local separatist administration.<\/p>\n<p>-On February 15th, the National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/stats-moldovas-exports-eu-increased-651-general-trade-deficit-22-2016\/\" target=\"_blank\">published<\/a> the stats on the external trade of the Republic.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/02\/exp_decembrie_2016_3-696x244.png\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The data reveal an increasing trade and a better trade balance with the European Union member states and an opposite situation regarding the\u00a0<em>traditional\u00a0<\/em>CIS markets.<\/p>\n<p>-On February 16th, the President of Moldova\u2019s Constitutional Court, Alexandru T\u0103nase, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/moldova-constitutional-court-president-asks-parliament-create-new-election-law\/\" target=\"_blank\">declared<\/a> that the Parliament needs to create and adopt a new Electoral Code, one with special provisions for every type of elections.<\/p>\n<p>T\u0103nase asked the Parliament to regulate differently the procedures of examining the complaints during the two-rounds elections, including on the voting day. Other important measures proposed by the Constitutional judge were: introducing additional criteria for establishing the number of voting centers and voting ballots abroad, the two-days elections and the electronic vote.<\/p>\n<p>A special attention was drawn upon the sanctions for voters\u2019 corruption and the necessity to introduce immediate sanctions for any attempt of involvement of the religious groups in the electoral campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>He added that the Parliament must modify the legislation on the responsibility of mass-media during the electoral campaigns, so that efficient tools of sanctioning like suspending the broadcasting are instituted for those outlets who violate the impartiality.<\/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-19-february-2017\/' data-heateor-sss-no-counts=\"1\"><div class='heateor_sss_sharing_title' 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