Moldovan government toughens legislation on internationally sanctioned people

Chisinau, 9 December /MOLDPRES/ - The citizens, Vladimir Plahotniuc and Ilan Shor, fugitives of the Moldovan justice, today were sanctioned by the government of the United Kingdom. Their assets will be frozen, the UK citizens will be banned from having economic transactions with the firms held by them and they will be denied access to the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita and Justice Minister Sergiu Litvinenco have made statements to this effect at a news conference on the International Anti-Corruption Day, the government’s communication and protocol department reported.     

According to the PM, the decision was possible due to consolidated efforts of the foreign partners and the government.  

„We took over the governance having a clear-cut mandate on behalf of the people to do justice, to fight against corruption and to be able to develop and edify a European future for Moldova. At that time, the corruption schemes seized numerous institutions and the oligarchs believed that they would be able to steal in continuation. We received a clear signal today – those who robbed the country will get just where their place is – in prison,’’ Natalia Gavrilita said.      

The prime minister also enumerated the measures undertaken by the cabinet in the process of cleaning the justice and fight against corruption: launching the process of extraordinary evaluation of the judges and prosecutors, approval of the law which allows the conviction of the fugitives in their absence, as well as of the law on the extended confiscation of the wealth of those who stole public money, including of the wealth hidden at relatives.

Another legislative initiative worked out by the government – draft of the Magnitsky Act – was unveiled by the Justice Ministry and is to be submitted for public consultations. According to Minister Sergiu Litvinenco, the draft includes provisions which regard the way of transposing the international sanctions imposed by foreign states or international organizations into the national legislation.    

„Another important aspect and with high impact, contained in the draft law, consists in the possibility to withdraw the licences and authorizations of the companies which belong to or are affiliated with the people included in the lists of sanctions. Moreover, the Audiovisual Council will be obliged to withdraw the licence, if a TV station promotes the image of a private person or legal entity included in the list of international sanctions,’’ Minister Litvinenco noted.  

The Magnitsky Act Moldova was inspired from the legislation of the United States, UK, Canada and Lithuania, which managed to successfully transpose the Magnitsky legislation. The draft proposed by the government is to be considered at a meeting of the state secretaries today and then published for consultations.       

Photo: Government