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Parliament extends investigation Commission's mandate once again

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At their plenary meeting on Thursday, the parliamentary majority decided that the investigation commission will be dissolved upon its presentation of a progress report, so as to avoid extending its mandate infinitely. The deadline for presenting the report has been set for October 1, 2011.

The deputies elected MP Raisa Apolschi, a Democrat, as commission chair, because its previous chairwoman, Zinaida Chistruga of the Communist faction, has tendered resignation.

Speaker Marian Lupu said Raisa Apolschi shall be provided with bodyguards, "should any deputies decide to put pressure on her".

Liberal MP Valeriu Muntean said the commission has already prepared its report, which, however, requires some more working and improvements, but by next week it may well be presented in parliament. He thinks it is inexpedient to postpone the report hearing till autumn because it is too essential a problem.

In his words, the Liberal Democrats are simply marking time, delaying the report presentation.

"They are explaining that some deputies and relevant employees need to be heard once again. But I really don't think they will tell anything new", said Valeriu Muntean.

Chairman of the parliamentary Standing Committee for Economic Policy, Budget and Finance Veaceslav Ionita, LD, stated in parliament that the Liberals are insistently hurrying the investigation to thus camouflage some other, ticklish aspects of the casino affair - such as, for instance, that Mihai Ghimpu is the only person who twice signed the law with wrong figures.

"I don't understand why the Liberals are being that hasty. They are claiming they have a ready report text. But how can they explain the fact that the Parliament has not yet heard the author of the erroneous amendment introduced into the law - ex-parliamentarian Veaceslav Untila?" wondered Ionita.

Honorable Chairman of the Democratic Party and leader of the DP parliamentary faction Dumitru Diacov thinks that all the people, responsible for the scandal with casino taxation mistakes, must resign from their posts.

"They must punish themselves by tendering resignation, like Western politicians do in analogous situations. But I am sure nothing of the sort will ever happen in our Parliament", said Dumitru Diacov.

The commission was supposed to present its report last May, but failed to, and the deadline was then extended until July 15, and now - until October 1.

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