The principle of multiplication of punishment shall be abolished according to the changes to the Criminal Code, which were considered with the first reading at the Committee sitting.

According to the legislative initiative of the Government, graver punishment absorbs the less grave one. The term of the punishment for the repetition of crime shall not exceed 30 years.

According to the changes, it will be possible to partially or fully multiple the punishments in the event of unity of the sentences. The decision is up to the judge deriving from the circumstances of the concrete case and the personality of the convict.

The changes will have the retroactive force towards the convicts, sentenced before enactment of these changes.

According to the initiator, the changes will have the positive impact on the persons under the criminal responsibility and on the judges.

The Committee members supported submission of the draft to the plenary session for the first reading.

Deriving from these changes, the changes shall be introduced to the Criminal Code of Practice as well. According to the draft, within the term of 3 months upon enactment of the changes, it will be possible to appeal to the court regarding changing the rule of sentencing upon unity of the crimes and sentences. As the MPs demanded, the term of enactment of the new norm shall not be limited. The Committee members supported submission of the draft to the plenary session for the first reading.

The Committee considered the drafts by the Government: “On Change to the Law On Conservation of Soil and Restoration and Improvement of Fertility”, “On Change to the Law On Public Health” and “On Change to the Law On Water”.

According to the drafts, the Ministry of the Environmental Protection shall be renamed as the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. Besides, the changes prescribe other provisions, namely, the draft “On Change to the Law On Conservation of Soil and Restoration and Improvement of Fertility” prescribes the term of adoption of the Law On Water Resource Management shall be prescribed as January `1, 2014. The draft on Change to the law On Ore envisages harmonization with the Law On Licensing and Permits.

The MPs supported with the first reading the drafts: “On Change to the Law On Conservation of Soil and Restoration and Improvement of Fertility” and “On Change to the Law On Public Health”.