Moldova’s ruling Communist Party on 13 February submitted a bill that, if adopted, will give lifelong immunity to the president of the country, Itar-Tass reported the same day. “The initiative necessitates changes to the law on [executive powers] and envisages immunity only for actions carried out while in office,” Vadim Mishin, one of the authors of the daft legislation and former deputy speaker of parliament, said. The new rules would apply to Voronin, as well as to all presidential office holders after him, he said. “In a democratic and rule-of-law state it is quite natural for those who hold the office of president to have immunity because this job presupposes a certain amount of risk,” Mishin said. (www.itar-tass.ru, February 13)