Moldovan National Anticorruption Centre detains more people in corruption case in medical system

Chisinau, 8 April /MOLDPRES/ - The National Anticorruption Centre (CNA) arrested sixteen persons and another five have the status of suspect in a corruption case on public procurement in the medical system. The head of the Criminal Investigation Department at CNA, Bogdan Zumbreanu, provided more details on the case at a news conference today.

Zumbreanu said the concerned people were suspected of having faked tenders on purchase of sanitary equipment and for this they were paid by 5-10 per cent of the cost.  

“The amount of damage resulted from these actions, when the criminal investigation was initiated, stood at 2.7 million lei. This money represents the difference between the smallest bid proposed at the tender and the winning one,” Zumbreanu said.

As a result of today searches made in the houses, cars of suspects, as well as at the institutions they work, the following persons were detained: former health minister, interim head of the Cahul Health Centre, head of the Republican Medical Diagnosis Centre, head of the Cardiology Institute, head and first deputy head of the Emergency Hospital, head of the Oncology Institute, head of the Taraclia District Hospital, deputy head of Department of Penitentiary Institutions, head, deputy head and a department head of the Medicines Agency, and others.

The 16 persons were arrested for 72 hours for exceeding office duties, active and passive corruption.

(Reporter C. Russu, Editor L. Alcaza)