Interpol refuses to put former leader of Moldovan Democratic Party on international wanted list

Chisinau, 24 July /MOLDPRES/ - The Commission for Control of Interpol’s Files of the General Secretariat of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) Interpol has refused the inclusion of the former leader of Moldova’s Democratic Party (PDM), Vladimir Plahotniuc, on the international wanted list and ruled to erase his data from the Organization’s databases. The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) made statements to this effect, noting that it had been informed on the mater on 23 July.     

According to the PG press service, the decision was taken at the last session of the Commission, held in Lyon, France, on 29 June – 3 July.

“Given that the Commission did not show through which it reasoned its decision, the Prosecutor General’s Office will appeal to the International Police Cooperation Department of the General Police Inspectorate (IGP) with a request to explain the reasons which stayed at the basis of the issuance of such a decision of refusal to put the accused person on international wanted list. Depending on the answer due to come, the Prosecutor General’s Office will decide on the way of reaction accordingly,’’ reads a PG’s press release.  

One month ago, the Prosecutor General’s Office sent to the competent authorities from the United State the set of acts with the request on the extradition of the former PDM leader, in order to be called to account under the criminal law in Moldova. Concomitantly, the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Causes (PCCOCS) sent to American colleagues two rogatory commission applications, in order to produce evidence needed for confirming the charges brought against Vladimir Plahotniuc, identify and make unavailable assets resulted from offences, as well as recover the damage brought by the embezzlement of the banking system.    

The former PDM leader was put on the wanted list, after prosecutors had brought him charge for three counts: ‘’creation and leadership of a criminal organization,’’ ‘’swindle’’ and ‘’money laundering,’’ both committed in particularly large amounts.