The implementation of the package of laws on integrity will remove the political control over the institution empowered to inspect integrity, Minister of Justice Vladimir Cebotari said in the program “Moldova live” on the public TV channel Moldova 1, IPN reports.

“The National Integrity Commission will be reorganized into the National Integrity Center and will have broader powers. The integrity of functionaries will be examined by inspectors, while the cases subject to verification will be distributed randomly. I do not rule out the possibility that there will be many discussions and debates on this package of laws, which are welcome,” said the minister.

Vladimir Cebotari also said that the integrity inspectors will be empowered to also verify the possessions of the Moldovans functionaries abroad and will have access to officials’ homes, if necessary. “Let’s imagine that someone declares that he possesses a painting made by a famous painter and in the property statement indicates that it was purchased at the price of 1,000 lei. The inspector will be able to take the paining for testing,” he stated.

Vladislav Gribincea, director of the Legal Resources Center, welcomed the package of laws on integrity. “We had the model of collective control of integrity, which didn’t produce results.  I think the individual inspection of integrity will be effective,” he said.

On February 3, the Government approved a set of laws on integrity, which includes the law on the declaration of the personal interests and property, the law on the National Integrity Center and the law to amend and supplement a number of legal acts. Among the proposals formulated by the Cabinet is to institute harsher penalties for the violation of the legislation on integrity and falsification of the income and interests statements, including dismissal.