Moldovan cabinet earmarks 70 million lei for holding snap parliamentary elections

Chisinau, 12 May /MOLDPRES/ - The cabinet of ministers today approved a decision to earmark 70 million lei from the government’s Reserve Fund for the organization and carrying out of the snap parliamentary elections, scheduled for 11 July 2021, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

The financial means are to be transferred to the accounts of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) by the Finance Ministry, which will ensure the expenses’ financing according to the payment documents. At the same time, the decision sees the revision by CEC of the estimated spending sheet planned for organizing the polls, in order to diminish it.    

„I congratulate the CEC and the government members on this solution, to allocate a sum with which the CEC members should start the work of organizing the snap parliamentary elections due on 11 July 2021. I am aware of the situation when the sum earmarked today will prove to be insufficient for the expenses borne by CEC; we will discuss and will look for new financial possibilities to ensure the holding of the snap parliamentary polls,’’ acting Prime Minister Aureliu Ciocoi said. Following the allocation of these financial resources, about 28 million lei remain in the government’s Reserve Fund.      

At a today’s meeting, Ministers Ion Perju and Pavel Voicu informed about the competent ministries’ risks to miss certain grants and financial loans because of the legal impossibility to sign international agreements to turn them to account. The parliament has earlier approved a legislative initiative to give powers to the acting government to sign international treaties, which would turn to account projects of financial assistance, which has not been promulgated by the Moldovan president so far.       

The Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ministry (MADRM) negotiated an agreement on financing between Moldova and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) (grant of 3.1 million dollars), meant for the sustainable handling of lands, which it cannot access. Similarly, in the case of the agreement on loan with IBRD, worth 26 million euros, as well as of an agreement on financing worth 15 million euros – financial means needed for the implementation of a programme on supply with water and sanitation in the settlements from Soroca, Rascani, Comrat, Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia and Cahul. ‘’The implementation will not start, as the right to negotiate and sign these agreements is not given to us,’’ Ion Perju said.     

For his part, the interior minister said that the Interior Ministry (MAI) had got a non-refundable grant on worth 19.2 million dollars on behalf of Japan, with which 19 special vehicles to extinguish fires and ladders were to be purchased. Yet, the ministry runs the risk of losing these donations for the same reason.  

In the context, the acting PM recommended that MADRM and MAI start the negotiation with donor institutions for extending the deadline and eventually signing these agreements. At the same time, Aureliu Ciocoi gave assurances that he would start discussions with the president’s apparatus, in order to identify a quick solution to this deadlock, which is to allow the acting cabinet to sign the financing agreements and adjust the legal framework in this respect.      

photo: Government