Moldovan cabinet approves draft law on preventing, fighting terrorism

Chisinau, 3 August /MOLDPRES/ - The cabinet of ministers today approved a draft law on the prevention and fighting terrorism. According to the author of the document, the Security and Intelligence Service of Moldova (SIS), terrorism becomes a threat, including for Moldova.    

“The Daesh terrorist organization has set concrete, geographically localized goals. Thus, the map of the future caliphate of the “Islamic State” appeared in social networks, with the highlighting of the areas the group plans to include in the Caliphate in next five years, including the territory of Moldova. Although far from the theatres of conflict, Moldova experienced the consequences of the terrorist activity, not as a victim of attacks, but as a zone of transit and refuge for active and potential terrorists,” SIS said.      

The draft law establishes the legal and organizational framework of the activity of preventing and fighting terrorism in Moldova, the way of coordinating the work of the subdivisions specialized in preventing and fighting terrorism, actions undertaken by the central and local authorities, decision-makers. The Antiterrorist Operational Command is set up to manage and carry out the antiterrorist operation.  

“The discovery of the terrorist activity is provided by intelligence and counterintelligence actions, by collecting, analysing and processing data about factors that would jeopardize the antiterrorist security,” under the draft law developed by SIS. The Security and Intelligence Service says that the terrorist risks against Moldova become more and more pronounced.  

The law contains new provisions, such as checking the passengers of air companies. To fulfill the measures on ensuring the antiterrorist security, the air companies who make flights to/from Moldova are obliged to transmit to SIS, after embarking onboard of the aircraft, but not later than the take-off, the list of passengers, so that the latter could be checked till the moment of undergoing the border control in the destination country. Another novelty is the creation of the national antiterrorist council.   

The draft law will be submitted to parliament for consideration and adoption.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor M. Jantovan)