The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) confirmed to BANI.MD that authorities accuse officials from the Competition Council of soliciting bribes from Sumitomo (SE Bordnetze LLC), one of the largest investors in Moldova.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office stated that the National Anti-Corruption Center (NAC) initiated the investigation on June 6, 2022, based on materials suggesting illegal actions committed by officials from the Competition Council about SE Bordnetze LLC.
”On June 6, 2022, the investigative body of the National Anti-Corruption Center initiated an investigation based on accumulated materials regarding the alleged illegal actions committed by public officials from the Competition Council concerning SE Bordnetze LLC. As a result, on October 4, 2022, following the examination of the collected materials by the NAC investigative body, the authorities began a criminal investigation based on reasonable suspicion of committing passive corruption, as outlined in Article 324 of the Penal Code. Currently, the criminal case is under the jurisdiction of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, and the investigation is ongoing,” states the PA’s response.
Alexei Ghertescu, the President of the Competition Council, stated that he hopes the NAC will complete the investigation. He also emphasized his and the Institution’s willingness to cooperate with the authorities in this case.
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“Regarding the accusations of attempting to extort a bribe from the company, I hope the NAC has initiated and will complete the investigation. However I am not sure if such an investigation has started or exists. When this rumor first appeared in 2022, I called the NAC and expressed my full personal openness and that of the Council. An employee from the NAC came to discuss the case with me once, but since then I have not heard anything concrete about this file. I do not want this case to tarnish the institution’s reputation.”