The Information and Security Service (ISS) has added former Justice Minister and the Modern Democratic Party (PDMM) founder Vlad Cebotari to the list of individuals associated with fugitive oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc. The order, signed by ISS director Alexandru Musteata, appeared in the Official Gazette on August 22.
The list also includes Cebotari’s relatives, Vlad and Maria Cebotari, his sister Mariana Tabuica, as well as Mircea Maleca, Ina Maleca, and Natalia Botnari. FlyOne, Sanair Service, OCN BMoney, and Bpay were also placed under surveillance.
Shortly after the publication, the PDMM accused the ISS head of abuse, arguing that the move targeted one of the party’s leaders days before the official start of the parliamentary election campaign on September 28.
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“This politically motivated action interferes directly in the electoral process and seeks to favor one competitor over another,” the PDMM press release stated. “It proves that the ISS and other state institutions, which should uphold the law and fundamental rights, are instead subordinated to the PAS government and used as instruments of repression against the opposition.”
The party warned that such measures would undermine the legality of the upcoming elections and vowed to continue resisting political pressure. The PDMM also urged national and international observers, accredited diplomatic missions, and Moldova’s external partners to monitor what it called a “clear abuse.”
“Freedom of association, opinion, choice, and the right to be elected are fundamental rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, and national legislation. Violating them is a direct attack on democracy,” the statement concluded.