Chisinau mayor detained in file on paid parking

Chisinau, 26 May /MOLDPRES/- Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca was detained by anticorruption prosecutors and officers of the National Anticorruption Centre (CNA) on 25 May in the file on paid parking. He was placed in CNA cell for 72 hours, suspected of influence traffic.

According to the CNA press service, Chirtoaca had instructed deputy mayor of Chisinau, who was chairman of the commission for selecting the companies that were to implement the parking project in Chisinau, to sign the contract with EME PARKLEITSYSTEM GmbH Company without the approval of the municipal council.

At the same time, contrary to the legislation, the Chisinau mayor approved the urbanism certificates for the design works in accordance with the public-private partnership agreement between the Chisinau city hall and the non-resident EME PARKLEITSYSTEM GmbH. Later, the company would have gained thanks to concerted actions between the city hall officials, economic agents and businessman managing the company.

Several meetings between the company manager and the head of the public transport and communications department of the city hall have been carried out during the investigation. During the hearings, it was set that after the prior agreement between the businessman and the head, the latter having the role of intermediary between the businessman and mayor, the city hall responsible person is advised to register an offshore company in Cyprus, which later became an associate of EME PARKLEITSYSTEM GmbH with a 26-per cent-share. According to testimony, 26 per cent of the company’s revenue was thanks for signing the public-private partnership agreement between EME PARKLEITSYSTEM GmbH and the city hall, of which 13 per cent went to the mayor and other 13 per cent to the head of the public transport and communications department.

Then, after the company in Cyprus becomes an associate of EME PARKLEITSYSTEM GmbH, the mayor gives instructions for opening bids and initiating tender and the company becomes the winner. Also, following the indications of the mayor, the deputy mayor signs the contract, and subsequently, Chirtoaca approves to start the design works. Thus, Chirtoaca would have committed influence trafficking, an offense punishable by imprisonment from 3 to 7 years.

Seven people were detained in the same case. It is about deputy mayor of Chisinau, head of the urban transport and communications department, former municipal councilor, managers of three parking companies and a businessman. Currently, some of the accused are under house arrest and others in the CNA detention. They provided information relevant to the investigation, which led to the identification of the scheme and its beneficiaries.  

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Răileanu)