The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) has ordered former Democratic Party leader Vladimir Plahotniuc and his former adviser Serghei Iaralov to appear as prosecution witnesses in the “Kuliok” case, in which former President Igor Dodon faces accusations, TV8 reports. The decision was issued on January 12, 2026.
Prosecutors requested to hear 17 witnesses, but the court approved only 11. Among those approved are Iurie Renita and former deputies Vladimir Cebotari, Dumitru Diacov, Andrian Candu, Adrian Albu, Lilian Carp, as well as former Prime Minister Pavel Filip.
The “Kuliok” case stems from video recordings made in June 2019, showing Igor Dodon in a discussion with Vladimir Plahotniuc and Serghei Iaralov at the PDM headquarters. In the footage, Plahotniuc is seen handing Dodon a black bag allegedly containing a large sum of money, which prosecutors claim was intended to finance the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM).
At the end of November 2025, the SCJ judges decided to restart the case from the beginning due to a new change in the composition of the judicial panel, a situation that has occurred at least seven times since October 2022. Igor Dodon pleads not guilty, arguing that the video recordings are manipulated.