Moldovan Prosecutor's Office ready to face all challenges - chief prosecutor says

Exclusive interview with the State News Agency MOLDPRES by Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Causes Nicolae Chitoroaga.

The year 2017 was the year of criminal resonance cases, I refer to the Platon file, Shevchuk or Bolboceanu case. All these extremely serious cases are investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Causes, one of the two specialized prosecutors’ offices in Moldova. About the work of the prosecution we talk to Mr. Nicolae Chitoroaga.

MOLDPRES: Few people know the work of this investigative body, but fewer people know the necessity of this type of prosecution – one for special causes. What is it about, Mr.Chitoroaga? What benefits does the citizen have from this type of prosecution? What was before?

N.C.: I want to inform you that, according to the Article No5 of the Special Prosecution Law, the Chief Prosecutor of PCCOCS is obliged to prepare an activity report for 2017. We have drafted such an act and sent it to the Prosecutor General. I am now here to bring to the public the aspects of the institution I am leading. Once the entry into force of the law on prosecutor’s office, the legislator gave the PCCOCS competence to investigate a lot of offenses related to customs fraud, tax fraud.

M.: This concentration of duties in a single Prosecutor’s Office is beneficial.

N.C.: The specialization of the prosecution comes to the benefit of the citizens. We have six offices at PCCOCS within two departments, one department is responsible for the pursuit of the criminal prosecution and the other leads the prosecution. Each office has a narrow specialization. The results show that the idea of specialization of the Prosecutor’s Office was a good one.

M.: I suppose the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Causes has statistical data on the cases resolved. Can you give us details about one of the resonance files solved by your employees?

N.C.: During 2017, the prosecutors handled 2,930 criminal cases, of which 630 were completed with 441 criminal cases sent to court. The criminal cases solved by PCCOCS could be divided into several categories: offenses committed against state security, against life and person, crimes against honor and dignity of person and offenses related to heritage. If we talk about crimes against state security, we have the Bolboceanu case. This is the first case in the history of Moldovan law enforcement bodies that has been documented to the end. I do not doubt that the ruling will be a condemnation. One of the worst cases I have investigated concerns attempted double murder at command, committed by a criminal group. The criminal case is sent to court. If we refer to crimes against the freedom of the person’s honor and dignity, we had cases on deprivation of liberty, we had 92 cases on trafficking in human beings, we had juvenile traffic – the case of the Balti family who decided to sell baby to a family from Germany.

M.: Can we say that those who ordered the assassination attempts against Mr. Plahotniuc or Gorbuntov are abroad?

N.C.: Of course. Those who ordered these crimes are in Moscow and relate to one another. Commander of the assassination attempt of the leader of the Democratic Party, Vlad Plahotniuc, is accused and has several arrest warrants. These people are known and are in Moscow. I mean concretely Caramalac.

M.: In addition to the experience you have, you have the severity of taking a file to the end. Where does this ambition come from? Who was your mentor?

N.C.: My primary teacher and prosecutor was my mother.

M.: It is said you insist much on recovering damages. Does the institution you are leading bring money into the state budget?

N.C.: During the investigation, the prosecutor is obliged by law to ensure the recovery of the damage. In 2017, a loss of 161 million lei was set, the recovery in the criminal prosecution was 30 million lei, about 19 million lei was seized from the offenders, and 46 million lei was paid to the state by the court ruling. At the same time, seizures amounting to 123 million lei were applied.

Over the past year, we had 292 rulings on 442 people, including 375 men, 51 women, 11 legal entities. A number of 135 people were punished and imprisonment, 140 were imprisoned, 72 were fined. Five people were convicted for murder and 18 people – for human trafficking. I note that 199 rulings were got through a simplified procedure based on the evidence collected at the criminal investigation stage.

M.: You said that an important category of files are related to state security. Do not forget that this year is an electoral one and we are in the midst of a hybrid war fought by foreign forces against the state. How prepared is the team you are leading to meet the challenges that will come in 2018?

N.C.: Prosecutors feel the best of this hybrid war and feel it for a long time, not hearsay, but the materials and documents that we have access to when working with colleagues within the SIS. We have the capacity to face all the challenges that will arise – we have more processing or criminal files that relate to the hybrid war, far more that the media know.

M.: Could we still have a country betrayal case in 2018?

N.C.: I am not sure if we only have one. There could be more. From the information available, I see that Moldovan citizens have contact with elements unfriendly to the Republic of Moldova. I found that there is an interest of foreign states for matters related to foreign policy. There are Moldovans who are ready to do various actions that are dangerous to state security and are ready to betray their country. We have some cases of this kind underway.

M.: One last question. Where were you on vacation last year and how much did you spend for rest?

N.C.: I would like to go on holiday, but given that many people expect to do so, I cannot be happy for them at once.

Thank you!