Crime Assets Recovery Agency to be created in Moldova

Chisinau, 15 December /MOLDPRES/ – Moldova will be created on Crime Assets Recovery Agency (ARBI), according to a draft law adopted by Parliament in first reading today.

According to the document, ARBI will be an autonomous institution subordinated to National Anti-corruption Centre (CNA). It will pursue recovery of assets and proceeds of crime, in particular, corruption, money laundering and organized crime. At the same time, there will be recovered criminal assets located both in Moldova and abroad.

Also, 3 per cent of the value of confiscated property to the state will be transferred to CNA’s budget annually. In RIBA will work criminal investigators, experts and specialists in the fields of accounting and auditing, special investigations officers etc. "There are initially sufficient up to 30 positions. We do not expect to hire new employees. It will be possible to maintain this agency by 3 per cent received from recovered goods. CNA budget assumes only salaries of the agency workers," said CNA deputy director, Cristina Tarna.

At the same time, representatives of parliamentary opposition spoke out against the creation of such an agency. "It is very difficult to understand the opportunity of establishing this agency and duplication of existing efforts," specified Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) MP, Tudor Deliu.

"I do not see the necessity of such an agency, as appointees there do exactly similar things which are presently paid for some other employees," said socialist Vasile Bolea.

The bill was registered in the parliament on 28 November 2016. The document was initiated by a group of MPs from the parliamentary majority.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor M. Jantovan)