Moldovan transport minister placed under 30-day preventive arrest

Chisinau, 28 April /MOLDPRES/ – Minister of Transports and Road Infrastructure, Iurie Chirinciuc, was placed under preventive arrest for 30 days today. The magistrates of the Buiucani sector Court took that decision today.

According to the decision of judges, the minister will be detained in penitentiary № 13 in Chisinau.

Also today, the National Anticorruption Centre (СNA) came up with a number of details on the accusation file of the official. According to the head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office, Viorel Morari, Minister Iurie Chirinciuc is investigated on three counts – passive corruption to get economic agents to give up contracts, illegal extraction of minerals and abuse of working duties on building a road.

Morari said that the detention of the official was brought to the prosecution on one point. He added that prosecutors would also request the investigation of the circumstances of the eviction of the special equipment installed in the ministry especially to investigate the case.

The Transport Minister, the General Director of the State Road Administration and the heads of two construction companies were arrested yesterday, 27 April, by the officers of the National Anticorruption Center (CNA) and the anticorruption prosecutors, who were suspected of organizing a criminal scheme to acquire financial means in particularly big amounts.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor L. Alcaza)