What's new in Moldovan law: 22 December 2020

Law No. 255

State social insurance budget for 2021: revenues, expenses and payment rules

The law approves the 2021 state social insurance budget, with revenues of 27490068,2 thousand lei and expenses of 27629046,7 thousand lei, later amended by LP191 of 25.11.21. It also sets fixed annual contributions, a late payment penalty of 0,1% per day and rules for paying social benefits. The law enters into force on 22.01.2021.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Jan 2021

Law No. 258

2021 State Budget Law: revenues, spending and deficit set

Parliament approved the 2021 state budget with revenues of 45862414,0 thousand lei and expenditures of 57654344,0 thousand lei, a deficit of 11791930,0 thousand lei. The law also sets allocations for funds, public sector salaries and transfers to local budgets. It enters into force on 01.01.2021.

• Parliament
• In force since 1 Jan 2021

Law No. 231

Modificarea Legii nr. 156/1998 privind sistemul public de pensii

• Parliament
• Repealed
• Amends: Law No. 156/1998

Law No. 235

Inspectors can request medicine leaflets in the state language or in Russian

The law amends Article 18¹ of Law No. 1456/1993 on pharmaceutical activity. Persons exercising control may request and obtain from pharmacies and medical institutions the leaflets of medicines and other pharmaceutical or parapharmaceutical products in the state language or in Russian. The law takes effect on 22.12.2020.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Dec 2020
• Amends: Law No. 1456/1993

Law No. 256

Law No. 256/2020: compulsory health insurance funds for 2021

The law approves compulsory health insurance fund revenue for 2021 at 11457321,0 thousand lei and expenditure at 11857321,0 thousand lei, with a deficit of 400000,0 thousand lei. The contribution rate on salaries and other remuneration is set at 9,0%. The fixed-sum premium is set at 4056 lei, with discounts for certain categories of individuals. The law enters into force on 22.01.2021.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Jan 2021

Law No. 191

Labor Inspectorate takes over control of occupational safety and health

Law No. 191 of 19.11.2020 amends several legal acts. The State Labor Inspectorate now controls compliance with labor legislation and occupational safety and health, and the term occupational safety is removed from several texts. The law enters into force on 01.01.2021.

• Parliament
• In force since 1 Jan 2021
• Amends: Law No. 140/2001, Code No. 154/2003

Law No. 197

Changes to the Criminal and Contravention Codes: fines, unpaid work and graves

Law nr. 197 changes the penalties under article 222 of the Criminal Code, with fines, unpaid community work or prison. It also changes article 54 paragraph (5) of the Contravention Code, which now also covers graves. The law takes effect on 22.12.2020, the day it was published in the Official Gazette.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Dec 2020
• Amends: Code No. 985/2002, Code No. 218/2008

Law No. 224

Employers can deduct costs of COVID-19 testing for their staff

The law allows employers to deduct the costs of testing employees to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These payments are not treated as taxable income and are excluded from social insurance contributions. The tax and social insurance rules take effect from the date of publication, 22.12.2020.

• Parliament
• In force since 1 Jan 2021
• Amends: Code No. 1163/1997, Law No. 489/1999

Law No. 230

Law nr. 235/2016 on state bonds for state guarantees is repealed

Parliament repealed Law nr. 235/2016, which concerned issuing state bonds so the Ministry of Finance could meet payment obligations arising from state guarantees nr. 807 of 17 November 2014 and nr. 101 of 1 April 2015. The law took effect on 22.12.2020, the day of publication. The text does not name other affected groups. The Government was to propose, within 3 months, measures on the debt of "Banca de Economii" S.A., BC "Banca Socială" S.A. and BC "Unibank" S.A. to the National Bank of Moldova.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Dec 2020
• Repeals: Law No. 235/2016

Law No. 232

Changes to the local public administration law for the Gagauzia territorial unit

Law No. 232 of 16.12.2020 amends Law No. 436/2006 and Law No. 435/2006. The public authorities of Gagauzia are named special-level local public authorities: the People's Assembly, the Governor and the Executive Committee. The law enters into force on 22.01.2021.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Jan 2021
• Amends: Law No. 436/2006, Law No. 435/2006

Law No. 233

Law No. 233/2020 amends Law 764/2001 on administrative-territorial organization

The law amends Law No. 764/2001 and states that administrative-territorial organization includes villages (communes), towns (municipalities), districts, the municipalities of Chișinău and Bălți, and the autonomous territorial unit Gagauzia, which has a special level of administration. Gagauzia's status is governed by the Constitution and Law No. 344/1994. The law enters into force on 22.01.2021.

• President of the Republic of Moldova
• In force since 22 Jan 2021
• Amends: Law No. 764/2001, Law No. 344/1994

Law No. 234

Funcționarea limbilor vorbite pe teritoriul Republicii Moldova

• Parliament
• Repealed

Law No. 236

Modificarea unor acte normative

• Parliament
• Repealed
• Amends: Law No. 1456/1993, Law No. 552/2001

Law No. 241

Changes to the Audiovisual Media Services Code: repeals and rule on TV and radio programmes

Law no. 241 of 16.12.2020 amends the Audiovisual Media Services Code no. 174/2018. Paragraph (2) of Article 5, paragraphs (4)-(8) of Article 6 and letters a)-g) of paragraph (2) of Article 53 are repealed. Media service providers and distributors may include programmes with military content, local programmes or programmes purchased from third states, if they comply with the Concept and the Information Security Strategy of the Republic of Moldova. The law entered into force on 22.12.2020.

• Parliament
• In force since 22 Dec 2020
• Amends: Code No. 174/2018

Law No. 244

Modificarea unor acte normative

• Parliament
• Repealed
• Amends: Law No. 132/2016, Law No. 133/2016

Law No. 257

Law No. 257/2020: amendments to the Tax Code and the entrepreneurship law, cash payments and payment terminals

Law No. 257 of 16.12.2020 amends several normative acts, including Law No. 845/1992 on entrepreneurship and enterprises and the Tax Code. Companies may make cash payments to other companies of up to 10 000 lei per transaction and up to 100 000 lei per month. Economic agents with large revenues must install cashless payment terminals by 1 July of the following year. The law enters into force on 01.01.2021, with exceptions for some articles.

• Parliament
• In force since 1 Jan 2021
• Amends: Law No. 845/1992, Law No. 789/1996