Interim premier calls for punishment of persons responsible for accident in central Moldova

Chisinau, 27 July /MOLDPRES/ - Interim Prime Minister Natalia Gherman today summoned a working meeting on the investigation the accident in Bacioi on the evening of 25 July, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.

Acting Interior Minister Oleg Balan reported on the circumstances of the accident and preliminary conclusions of the police, including opening criminal cases for the people who are guilty, revealing the circumstances that could have caused the accident: organising illegal racing on a public route and failure to comply with traffic rules.

Natalia Gherman asked for a comprehensive analysis of the causes of the accident to be carried out and for the people responsible for the accident to be held accountable, including in the homicide cases, especially the so-called organisers of the race. Furthermore, the interim prime minister recommended the Interior Ministry to inform citizens objectively about the circumstances of the accident and the measures that will be taken in this case.

Natalia Gherman requested the prompt implementation of the actions to cease the practice of illegal racing.

The premier ordered the continuation of the "white nights" practice, to combat drunk driving as well as intensification of police patrols on expressways and in places with higher traffic accident rates. Natalia Gherman also requested launching a national campaign of awareness and prevention of road accidents for all traffic participants.

The sides agreed on the need to amend the legal framework in order to punish the organisers of races. A draft to this effect was proposed in 2012 but did not pass the approval of the parliament.

At the same time, Natalia Gherman called on Minister Oleg Balan to ensure the examination of the circumstances of the incident on the evening of 24 July, as a result of which journalists, representatives of law enforcement bodies suffered, and to punish the guilty persons.

At the end of the meeting, Interim Prime Minister Natalia Gherman expressed sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the accident in Bacioi.

(Editor M. Jantovan)