The Promo-LEX Association today unveiled its annual report, “Monitoring the Activity of the 11th Legislature of the Parliament, August 2023 – July 2024,” during a public event held on December 9. Attendees included Members of Parliament, officials from the Parliamentary Secretariat, representatives of various central public institutions, political parties, and civil society organizations. The discussions focused on the legislative activity, highlighting achievements, identifying gaps, and reviewing the recommendations formulated by Promo-LEX to enhance the legislative process.
The event also welcomed the participation of international experts, who contributed to discussions on the role of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova in advancing European integration. The speakers emphasized the legislature’s crucial responsibility to adopt laws aligned with EU standards and to ensure transparent and accountable governance.
The report spans the period from August 2023 to November 2024 and provides an in-depth analysis of five essential areas: adherence to legislative procedures, the functioning of permanent parliamentary committees, the exercise of parliamentary oversight, engagement and communication with citizens, and the institution’s budget management practices.
Compliance with the legislative procedure. Transparency in decision-making within the legislative process remains a persistent challenge, despite some progress in reducing the number of draft of laws adopted without the requisite reviews or expert opinions. Insufficient publication of documents related to public consultations and limited public engagement in the legislative process continue to pose major obstacles. Of the 560 draft laws under consideration during the monitoring period, a substantial proportion was not subject to effective public consultation or lacked the necessary accompanying documentation. Furthermore, during the reporting period, at least nine drafts of law were adopted without the required reviews or expert analyses. In 62 instances, anti-corruption recommendations and assessments were disregarded. Nevertheless, a notable achievement is the approval of the 2024 annual legislative program, which has been partially implemented, with a 48% completion rate for the spring session.
The performance of Members of Parliament highlights a pronounced imbalance between the parliamentary majority and the opposition. Opposition-initiated drafts of law remain largely excluded from the parliamentary agenda, with only initiatives sponsored by the parliamentary majority advancing to adoption. Although the average attendance rate at parliamentary sessions stands at 87%, only 63 to 74 MPs actively participate in voting. Recurrent absences of independent MPs have led to the imposition of sanctions. These findings underscore the urgent need for robust measures to enhance transparency, ensure inclusive participation, and improve the overall efficiency of the legislative process.
Activity of the Standing Parliamentary Committees. The report provides an evaluation of the activities of three key parliamentary committees relevant to Promo-LEX’s focus areas: the Legal Committee on Appointments and Immunities (CJNI), the Committee on Human Rights and Interethnic Relations (CDORI), and the Public Administration and Regional Development Committee (CAPDR). During the reporting period, the membership of the CJNI decreased from 11 to 10 members following the exclusion of opposition representatives. Persistent challenges were identified regarding the convening of meetings and the timely publication of agendas, particularly within the CJNI. Furthermore, opposition attendance at sessions chaired by the parliamentary majority remained notably low. The report emphasizes that only CAPDR and CDORI have developed and implemented action plans, underscoring a lack of structured planning within the CJNI. However, a significant improvement in transparency is noted, with live broadcasts being conducted for 64% of the committee meetings.
Parliamentary Control Function. Throughout the monitored period, progress was observed in the presentation of reports by authorities, with 24 activity and thematic reports being reviewed. Promo-LEX identified certain deficiencies in the utilization of parliamentary oversight instruments by deputies, particularly interpellations and questions. Engagement with motions and inquiry committees was limited to the first year of the legislature, while the post-legislative legal review reached a 100% completion rate. In contrast, the post-legislative impact assessment remains inadequately implemented.
Regarding appointments and dismissals, the Parliament approved 44 legislative acts, the majority of which (77%) pertained to appointments to specific positions. The principal institutions involved include the Central Electoral Commission, the Court of Accounts, and the Competition Council. However, Promo-LEX underscores significant shortcomings in public communication regarding recruitment procedures and recommends enhancing the transparency of these processes through the Parliament’s official website.
Communication with Citizens. Promo-LEX has also examined the ways in which Parliament utilizes institutionalized communication mechanisms, such as public hearings, petitions, and requests for access to information. Significant deficiencies have been identified in terms of both transparency and functionality. The official website remains outdated and incomplete, while the implementation of the law on access to information is only partial: only six out of the 13 mandatory categories of information are fully published. Additionally, the level of transparency regarding public hearings is inadequate, and the decline in both the quantity and quality of responses to petitions and information requests signals a notable regression compared to previous periods.
The collaboration between Parliament and civil society, as well as the use of expert councils, remains insufficient, with limited interest in these mechanisms. Only seven permanent committees have established expert councils, and of these, only one was active in the spring of 2024. Promo-LEX underscores that effective cooperation with civil society is essential for the development of relevant public policies. However, the lack of progress in this area further exacerbates the existing issues related to communication and transparency within the legislative institution.
Monitoring of Budgetary and Administrative Management. The report examines the management of the Parliament’s budget, the remuneration of MPs, costs for official travels, and the transparency of the public procurement process. It notes substantial improvements in transparency, particularly regarding the publication of budgetary data. The majority of funds are allocated to personnel expenses and social benefits. MPs receive an average monthly salary of 19,000 lei, in addition to allowances and compensations.
The number and cost of official foreign trips for MPs and Parliamentary Secretariat staff have increased compared to previous years, with Romania, Belgium, France, and the United States being the most frequent destinations. While the public procurement process is transparent, there is limited competition in low-value contracts.
In conclusion, Promo-LEX emphasizes the urgent need for measures to strengthen decision-making transparency. This includes the comprehensive publication of all documents related to the legislative process and the approval of activity plans for each parliamentary committee. Furthermore, Promo-LEX recommends a more active promotion and utilization of parliamentary oversight mechanisms, modernization of the Parliament’s website, enhanced communication with citizens, and the implementation of effective mechanisms for tracking and controlling public spending.
The full annual report ” Monitoring the Activity of the 11th Legislature of the Parliament, August 2023 – July 2024″ is available here.
We would like to remind that, for the period 2021 – 2025, Promo-LEX has committed to monitoring the activities of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, with a particular emphasis on transparency, legality, and the efficiency of procedures. This is being carried out within the framework of the “Democracy, Transparency, and Accountability” Program, financially supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The primary objective of this monitoring is to enhance institutional transparency, contribute to the improvement of legislative procedures, and strengthen the interaction between Members of Parliament and the citizens.
For further inquiries, please contact:
Dumitrița Ciuvaga
Communication Officer
Promo-LEX Association
Tel: +373 68 800 827