Government approves bill on special investigative activity

The executive endorsed the bill on special investigative activity that defines the investigative measures applying to certain categories of persons and contains provisions that ensure confidentiality during special investigations, Minister of Justice Oleg Efrim said after the Government’s meeting, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. “The document describes the investigative measures that can be taken with the exclusive authorization of the judge and the authorization of the prosecutor and indicates which measures can be taken only when there is a criminal case,” said Oleg Efrim. The bill says the investigative bodies will be monitored by the legislative body and the Prosecutor General’s Office. These bodies will have to present annual reports to the prosecutor, who, for his part, will report to the relevant parliamentary commission. Speaking about the impact of this bill on the people, the minister said the provisions of the law are a guarantee that none of the authorities empowered to take special investigative measures will act arbitrarily. “If such things happen, the persons will be held accountable,” said Oleg Efrim. Until now, many of the special investigations could be performed without the prosecutor’s authorization. Legal cases were opened, illegally hiding the telephone conversations. The cases were not finished and there were no statistics that could be used by other entities. Under the bill, the materials of the legal cases will have to be kept for a period of at least five years. Oleg Efrim said the approval of this law will essentially contribute to combating corruption in the bodies performing special investigative activities.