Draft on merger of specialized prosecutor's offices to be submitted to parliament in Moldova

The draft on the merger of the specialized prosecutor's offices will be submitted to parliament. The authors of the initiative, at today’s during public hearings, said  they would ask the parliament's standing bureau to include the draft on the agenda of the next plenary meeting for examination in the first reading.

Public consultations on the draft law regarding the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (PACCO) took place on the platform of the parliament’s juridical commission for appointments and immunities.

The discussions were attended by representatives of key institutions involved in the implementation of this draft, including the General Prosecutor's Office, the Superior Council of Prosecutors, the Superior Council of Magistracy, the National Anticorruption Center, Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance. MPs and civil society members, who play an essential role in monitoring the legislative process, were also present at the discussions.

Veronica Roșca, the head of the parliament’s juridical commission for appointments and immunities, said that a lawmaker of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), Igor Chiriac, is the author of the draft and provided a chronological overview. She noted that the document had been registered on February 12 and was developed following a decision by the Supreme Security Council on January 20. The commission's head specified that hearings of the responsible institutions had already been organized.

PAS deputy Igor Chiriac said that this draft law was meant to establish a mechanism for the work of the specialized prosecutor's office in combating corruption and organized crime, reconfiguring the architecture of prosecutorial bodies.

„What was relevant in 2016, even in 2021, is no longer relevant at present. The new structure aims to address the threats that presently challenge state security. The draft law also provides for a series of new mechanisms. We want all the cases currently under the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and PCCOCS to have continuity. We want the new document to include processes for external evaluation of prosecutors,” Chiriac opined.

Attending the meeting, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Stanislav Copețchi, said that the institution would provide a generalized opinion on this draft  and expressed concerns about the document's text.

„The Ministry of Justice wants to draw attention to some very important particularities. It is about a few concerns: the first resides in the continuation and transmission of the present cases. We want the current cases at the two specialized prosecutor's offices not to be affected and to be transferred to the new prosecutor's office. The smooth ongoing of pending processes should not be impaired, especially in those criminal cases where precautionary measures have been applied, procedural coercive measures, where there is a term and quick action is required. Another concern resides in transferring the headquarters and equipment to the new structure. We will also pay attention to the composition of the new prosecutor's office; we have concerns regarding the process of evaluating prosecutors,” said the official.

Deputy General Prosecutor Sergiu Rusu said that the institution he represents had submitted the opinion on this draft, noting that amendments to the document would  be requested.

„There are several risks in the transfer process that need to be managed. We have indicated how certain shortcomings in the procedures can be avoided. The new structure will be budget-independent and should focus on major corruption offenses, the investigation of fund embezzlement involving European funds, and offenses against state capital companies, especially those managing the state's critical infrastructure. We are aware of the situation with the criminal cases from the Railway of Moldova enterprise (CFM), from the airport. Other categories of offenses or other cases are improper for the new prosecutor's office,” Rusu concluded.

According to the authors, this legislative initiative aims to consolidate mechanisms for preventing and combating corruption and organized crime through an institutional reform intended to enhance the efficiency and unity of anti-corruption actions.

Also today, the head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, Veronica Dragalin, tendered resignation.