NAC and APO searches in a corruption case in the Chisinau education system targeting public procurement. The actions of nine individuals are being investigated

Officers of the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) jointly with the Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (APO) are conducting searches in a criminal case regarding passive corruption and abuse of office within the education system in the Chisinau municipality. Nine individuals are targeted in the case, including a head of the General Directorate of Education, Youth and Sports (DGETS), two directors of secondary and high school institutions, a head of a preschool institution and several economic agents.

According to the accumulated evidence, public officials allegedly implemented, together with several economic agents, a scheme to rig public procurement in preschool and school educational institutions in Chisinau. The officials are suspected of having claimed and received commissions ranging between 10% and 15% of the value of the contracts awarded for works and services. During the investigations, it was found that to avoid legal tender procedures, the works were artificially divided into several contracts, concluded through low-value procurement procedures, through direct negotiations with favored economic operators.

Currently, the NAC and the APO are conducting criminal investigation actions at the homes and offices of the targeted individuals, as well as at the headquarters of some of the economic agents involved. As a result of the actions, documents, electronic media, accounting documents and sums of money were seized, the origin of which is yet to be established.

The NAC and the APO continue the criminal investigation to establish all the circumstances and the entire criminal chain. We remind you that any person shall be considered innocent until a final and irrevocable decision is rendered by the court.