Moldovan transports minister, head of state road administration, two businessmen detained in corruption file

Chisinau, 27 April /MOLDPRES/ – The Minister of Transports and Road Infrastructure (MTID), the interim director of the State Road Administration (ASD) and the heads of two construction companies were detained today by the officers of the National Anticorruption Centre (CNA) and the anticorruption prosecutors, being suspected of organizing a criminal scheme to get particularly large financial means.

In the morning, CNA officers searched the offices and homes of several MTID officials and ASD headquarters, following which the targeted persons were detained.

According to the CNA’s public relations service, the Minister of Transports and Road Infrastructure, in complicity with the aforementioned persons, would exert pressure on a winning bidding company funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in order to get it to redirect some of the volume of work to affiliated economic agents. During 2016-2017, the minister and the head of the ASD created impediments to the winning economic agent by failing to act for the execution of the works, by delaying the approval of MTID and ASD, as well as by determining him to conclude subcontracts with companies close to the officials.

Also, a meeting was held in February, during which the meeting between the Transport Minister, ASD director, the administrators of SRL Global Trans Construct and SRL Nouconst was established with the economic agent winning the R6 M1 – Ialoveni road rehabilitation contract. During the talks, he was asked to give up 50 per cent of the volume of works (out of a total of about €9 million) to the companies mentioned above. Subsequently, referring to an indication from the minister, the Global Trans Construct administrator would also received from the same economic agent 5 per cent of the contract amount, or about €400 thousand. Part of the money (€80,000) was for SRA decision-makers.

In this case, the minister and SRA director are co-authors of the offence, and the economic agents – accomplices. If they are found guilty, the suspects risk up to 15 years in prison with a fine in the amount of 400 thousand – 500 thousand lei and with the deprivation of the right to hold certain public positions or to exercise certain activity within 10 – 15 years.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Raileanu)