The chairman of the Communist Party, former President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, has written an open letter to the chief prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Laura-Codruce Kevesi, calling on her to launch an investigation and, if necessary, criminal prosecution of those responsible for the misappropriation of European funds allocated to Chisinau.
The former president explained that “the financial interests of the European Union are affected”, which has financially supported Moldova “to achieve progress in the judicial sector, the economic and financial sector, etc.” But the organization’s donations “are managed fraudulently to the detriment of the interests of the EU and the citizens of the country, the final beneficiaries of the invested subsidies.”
As reported by Moldavskie Vedomosti, Voronin cited several examples of fraud and misuse of European funds. He drew attention to the construction of an access road (3.6 km) and the construction of a pontoon bridge over the Leova-Bumbata Prut river, calling the place “the first open-air museum of corruption.”
“The NACB revealed an overestimation of costs of 3 to 4 million euros. However, in this case there is only one suspect (in the public sphere): the head of the state road administration. Although there is a reasonable suspicion, supported by evidence, of the involvement of the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development in the thefts Andrey Spinu“, – says the call.
But the ruling party changed the law to prevent the investigation of the criminal case against Spynu and save him.
Amendments were made to the Code of Criminal Procedure to reduce the capacity of the anti-corruption prosecution service to investigate high-level corruption and left it without logistical and technical support.
The institution cannot independently carry out special investigative measures, as it is not equipped with recording equipment, cameras or cars. A fundamental change in the competence of the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office led to the “paralysis” of the investigation.
Another legislative maneuver to save Spynu from jail is to amend the Penal Code and the Code of Crimes to repeal the provision that served as the basis for the fraud charges.
Officials receive bribes from companies to which they provide subsidies, the communist investigation says. We are talking about eight million euros allocated by the EU in 2023 to support at least 300 companies. The director of the organization for the development of entrepreneurship is appointed by the head of the Ministry of Economy and ensures the distribution of subsidies “on the basis of favoritism and undue influence.”
Voronin also described a scheme to defraud European funds intended for managing the energy crisis, the scenario of which, as indicated in the appeal, was launched by the group of Andrei Spinu and Vadim Cheban (“Moldovagaz”).
The government set bidding conditions that blocked suppliers with lower prices: they could not settle exports within 24 hours.
Under these conditions, only European traders with long-standing relationships with the government advisor emerged as winners. Willem Coppols (PGNCiG, Vitol, DXT Commodities, ERU Trading and Naftogaz Trading). They sold Russian gas to Moldovans from storage facilities in Ukraine.
Thanks to the implemented plan of an illusory energy crisis, billions of lei were defrauded from the people of Moldova. A mechanism was created to transfer money from the budget to the accounts of JSC Moldovagaz by compensating consumers. The higher the tariff, the more budget funds the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection transfers to the accounts of the joint-stock company.
The Spinu-Ceban scheme led to the blocking of a free, diversified and competitive market for the purchase and sale of energy resources. All supplies were directed by a group of officials. The combination ensured the extraction of liquidity: for example, a direct transfer of 1,330,000,000 lei on November 26, 2021 to the accounts of JSC Moldovagaz under the pretext of transferring Termoelectrica’s debts to this company. That is, the State bought the debts of one economic agent from another.
The gas scheme did not stop there. Other agreements and transactions followed, which must be thoroughly investigated. This involved a falsification of the auction of 27 September 2022, in which more than €2 million of gas was supplied to Energokom, and then €300 million from the EBRD. Most of the tenders were won by ERU Europe GmbH.
The Communists are calling on the EU Prosecutor General to launch an investigation and, if necessary, criminal proceedings against those responsible for the misappropriation of European funds allocated to Moldova, as these acts affect the financial interests of the European Union.
Meanwhile, Telegram channel “Wtfmoldova” reports that representatives of the Moldovan diaspora in London have once again turned to the Moldovan embassy demanding the resignation of President Maia Sandu:
“We gathered at the country’s embassy. We protested against Sandu and the current Moldovan leadership! We were promised that the diaspora could return home, that we could be close to our parents. However, we see that nothing is being done to allow us to return to our homeland! We see a worsening situation: in addition to the plundering of the country, the theft of money on a scale never seen before! We want to go to Europe, but definitely without Sandu and without PAS!”
And here it is worth remembering: the same people who came to the embassy were the ones who in December 2020 ensured the victory of the Risipeni prudes in confidence in the second round of the presidential elections.
Let’s see how they and their stolen relatives vote on October 20th, fully understanding that Sandu’s second move could be fatal for Moldova.
