The NAC and prosecutors conducted dozens of searches in several city halls across the country in a case of large-scale embezzlement of infrastructure projects financed from national and foreign funds
The National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) and the Prosecutor's Office of Balti Municipality have informed about the conduct of extensive criminal investigation actions in a criminal case involving corruption and embezzlement of national and foreign funds intended for infrastructure projects. Today, the NAC officers and prosecutors conducted searches and seized documents in several city halls in the centre, north and south of the country, as well as at the headquarters of an economic operator. As part of the procedural measures taken, five people were detained for 72 hours and placed in solitary confinement.
The criminal case concerns the activity of the administrator and engineers of an economic operator, whose bids were designated winners following public procurement procedures organized by several city halls for the construction of water supply and sewage networks. The works were financed from the National Regional and Local Development Fund, through the National Office for Regional and Local Development (ONDRL), within the framework of the National Local Development Program "European Village" for the years 2024–2028 (edition II). According to the accumulated materials, the economic operator carried out works in localities in the districts of Soroca, Edineț, Glodeni, Sîngerei, Strășeni, Șoldănești, Căușeni and Taraclia. During the reception upon completion of the works and the final reception, the administrator and engineers allegedly promised and offered monetary means to the members of the reception committees, including employees of the National Inspectorate for Technical Supervision, site supervisors, designers, mayors and other specialists involved, in order not to record the existing non-conformities and to sign the reception documents, although multiple non-removed deviations were found.
Also, cases were documented regarding the fictitious inclusion in the execution documents of works that, in reality, were not carried out, the respective documents being presented for payment to the IP ONDRL. In another episode investigated, during the rehabilitation of a road affected by the construction works of the aqueduct, it was found that only 84 tons of asphalt were used out of the total required of 170 tons. At the same time, instead of the designed thickness of 10 cm, the asphalt layer was applied in a variable thickness of approximately 6–8 cm, contrary to the project documentation and technical construction regulations.
At the same time, a case was documented of the transfer of the amount of 3,500 euros by the administrator of the economic operator to a subordinate, who allegedly claimed to have influence over employees of the Territorial Labour Inspectorate, the Territorial Police Inspectorate and the Territorial Prosecutor's Office, in order to determine the non-initiation of criminal prosecution in a case regarding the violation of labour protection rules, resulting in the causing of an eye condition to an employee.
Criminal investigation actions are ongoing, and the persons concerned benefit from the presumption of innocence, according to the law.
