Prime Minister Vasile Tofan has commented on the purchase of electronic monitoring bracelets from a company that had previously been the subject of journalistic investigations, saying that problems in the system have existed for several years and that some cases are still being examined by the authorities.
Tofan said that four tenders for the purchase of electronic monitoring bracelets were held last year, but all of them failed.
“There were four tenders that did not go through. Although the value was relatively small and the number of these bracelets was small, around 200, many international companies do not want to participate because the contract value is very low (…) We are talking about a contract worth approximately €90,000. And this €90,000 contract covers several years. So we are not talking about a large amount,” Tofan said.
The prime minister said authorities will investigate the problems within the system and change the way electronic monitoring is managed.
“Now we have to conduct investigations there. There are many things to fix, and many things have not worked as they should (…) The director has resigned, and we need to appoint a new head of this department, which is extremely important for protecting victims and preventing aggressors, including by looking at the technological component,” Tofan said.
The government also plans to significantly increase funding for electronic monitoring bracelets. The state budget currently provides 2 million lei for the purchases, but the amount is expected to double to 4 million lei next year.
Tofan said the larger budget should allow authorities to purchase more effective devices and ensure a sufficient number of bracelets to monitor aggressors and protect victims.
“I hope that, including with a larger budget, we will be able to purchase more effective bracelets in sufficient quantities so that we can also protect victims from aggressors,” the prime minister concluded.
Măgdăcești Murder Puts Electronic Monitoring System Under Scrutiny
The murder in Măgdăcești has brought Moldova’s electronic monitoring system back into the spotlight. The man suspected of fatally shooting his wife, despite being prohibited from approaching her, was wearing an electronic bracelet that had stopped transmitting a signal before the attack. The device subsequently disappeared.
Against this backdrop, BANI.MD reported that the National Probation Inspectorate continues to purchase monitoring equipment from the same company that won contracts in previous years and had previously faced scrutiny over the way the procurement procedures were conducted.
The National Probation Inspectorate has rejected accusations that it favored a particular company in the procurement of electronic monitoring equipment. The institution said the procurement procedures were conducted transparently and that several tenders held in 2024–2025 failed because there were not enough bidders or because participants did not meet the qualification requirements.