The Parliament supported the Liberals’ legislative initiative to fine the clients of prostitutes, but, at the suggestion of the competent commission, reduced the fines to at most 3,000 lei, down from 6,000 lei suggested initially. The bill was passed in the first reading on June 8, Info-Prim Neo reports. One of the bill authors Valeriu Munteanu said the given law will contribute to a reduction in the number of ‘sexual tourists’ who choose Moldova as destination for satisfying their sexual needs. “We hope that these measures will help improve Moldova’s image that has been seriously affected following sexual scandals,” he stated, adding that 50% of the women held at the Penitentiary in Rusca were convicted of procuring and trafficking in human beings. Democratic lawmaker Igor Corman said ironically that the MPs usually put forward legislative initiatives after meetings with voters, but they should focus on more important problems. “The Liberals consider the issues concerning pedophiles and prostitutes are topical, but for us the problems faced by the farmers are more important,” said the leader of the group of Socialists Igor Dodon. The chairman of the Liberal Party Mihai Ghimpu replied that the Liberals prepared bills focusing on different areas and tabled the largest number of legislative initiatives. The head of the Democratic faction Dumitru Diacov proposed that the bill should be discussed with NGOs and women’s organizations before it is debated in Parliament in the second reading. He said that this bill should be examined in the second reading in autumn.