Renato Usatîi slams Moldova's new SIM card law amid phone‑scam concerns

In the Moldovan Parliament, deputies debated measures to combat telephone scams and discussed a draft law that would require identity verification for the activation of prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs.

Renato Usatîi, leader of the Partidul Nostru, claimed to have accessed data on an alleged international scam network and said he would present evidence to the authorities. He criticized the approved legislation, arguing that it fails to address existing prepaid cards that remain anonymous, that a 12‑month implementation period is inadequate, and that the law will become a “formal, ineffective” measure. Usatîi called for amendments, warning that without re‑registration of already active cards the initiative will not achieve its intended purpose.

The government’s proposal keeps the sale of prepaid cards free but ties activation to the presentation of an identity document, with operators given a year to adapt their systems.