Moldovan news roundup: Deputy's bid, church controversy, and mobile phone ban
A deputy's third attempt to run for president, the rejection of plans to liquidate the Moldovan Orthodox Church, and the Ministry of Education's proposal to ban mobile phones during classes are the main headlines reviewed by the press.
Ziarul Național reports that deputy Vasile Bolea, who left the Socialist Party to join the party led by Ilan Shor, has submitted new documents to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) to register an initiative group to support his presidential candidacy. This is Bolea's third attempt to run for president, after the "Pobeda" bloc, created by Ilan Shor in Moscow, was denied registration for the October 20 elections due to violations of electoral law, a decision confirmed by the courts. Bolea previously tried to register as an independent to gather signatures, but this attempt also failed. According to the cited source, the CEC will analyse the new submitted documents and decide on the validation of the initiative group.
The Party of Action and Solidarity has officially distanced itself from the statements of deputy Ion Șoimaru, who claimed that the government was preparing a bill to liquidate the Moldovan Orthodox Church. According to a statement issued by PAS, the party emphasises that there is no such bill or initiative and that the government does not intend to interfere in the affairs of the Church. The reaction comes after the deputy's statements sparked controversy in the public space, generating speculation about possible tensions between the state and the Moldovan Orthodox Church.
Deschide.md proposes the opinion of the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminița Odobescu, who has called for new European sanctions against Russia to prevent destabilising hybrid actions directed against the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and EU member states. She emphasised that Russia's massive attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure necessitate closer coordination among European partners. Odobescu also insisted on unblocking the European Peace Facility, noting that reimbursements of military expenditures for Ukraine have been blocked for over a year, which remains "crucial" for supporting defence efforts.
Ziua de azi publishes the statement of the Minister of Education and Research, who announced the intention to propose an amendment to the Education Code to ban the use of mobile phones during lessons. The amendment will be submitted to Parliament next week. The Ministry will develop a detailed regulation that will establish the procedure for implementing this measure, including the storage location of mobile phones and restrictions on students' access to them. According to the new provisions, students will be able to use mobile phones only during breaks, and during classes, the devices will be stored in a specially designated place in the classroom.
AGORA.md addresses the public discussion regarding the publication of intimate recordings on Telegram channels. According to a recent statement by the Prosecutor General, the unauthorised distribution of these recordings constitutes a crime and is considered a grave violation of privacy. In a communiqué from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it was emphasised that there is a worrying proliferation of channels that promote and distribute such content, which endangers the security and rights of the affected individuals. The authorities call on citizens to report such incidents and assure that they will take strict measures to combat these illegal practices.
The press reported on a fire at the Central Market in Bălți, which engulfed a container of clothes. According to jurnal.md, the fire affected shops on a surface area of approximately 800 square metres. Fifteen fire engines and 50 rescuers from the IGSU were mobilised at the scene. Thus, material goods were saved from an area of about 1,200 square metres, and the fire did not cause any casualties.
The results of admissions for the current year indicate a substantial increase in the number of students in educational institutions. Moldpres proposes the statement of the Minister of Education and Research, Dan Perciun, who mentions that "In dual education, where studies are combined with practical experience, we have observed a 54% increase in the number of enrolled students." In addition, preliminary data on admissions to undergraduate programs in universities reveal an increase of about 10% in the number of students compared to last year.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
