Prevention of offenses among minors

The Supreme Council hosted in April of this year the final stage of the #ВПраве youth research competition, organized by the Civil Initiative public movement with the support of the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Human Rights Center of the Union of Russian Communities of Pridnestrovie. Pridnestrovian schoolchildren and students who took the risk of trying their hand at lawmaking took part in it. The 12 best projects were evaluated in the final by a professional jury, which included members of Parliament. According to parliamentarians, many of the participants' projects were ready to become real legislations. One of these was the work of a student of the Tiraspol Law Institute, who took second place in the competition. Her initiative was aimed at reducing the age of administrative responsibility for a number of offenses from 16 to 14 years. Deputies Galina Antyufeeva, Oleg Petrik and Sergey Cheban appreciated the idea and formalized it into a legislative initiative. The corresponding draft law on amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses was considered in the first reading at today's meeting of the Committee on Legislation, Protection of Citizens' Rights and Freedoms.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, 917 offenses were filed against minors last year. Most of the 418 reports were filed for the consumption of tobacco, tobacco products and nicotine-containing products by minors. Another 226 cases were opened for drinking alcoholic and alcohol-containing beverages or using narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in public places.

According to the authors, the proposed changes will enhance the legal culture and civic awareness of young people, and will also contribute to strengthening public order and creating a safer and fairer social environment.

The law-in-draft on amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses will be included in the agenda of one of the next plenary sessions for consideration by the deputy corps in the first reading.