Sentence on file of ex-premier of Moldova to be appealed at Court of Appeal, European top court

Chisinau, 27 June /MOLDPRES/ - The lawyer of the former prime minister, Vlad Filat, Igor Popa, today said that the sentence pronounced on the file of his client was political. At the same time, the case prosecutor, Adriana Betisor, said the judges’ ruling would be appealed, on grounds that the punishment would be too mild.

According to Betisor, none of the evidence the prosecutor presented in court would have been contested. “No counterargument to the unveiled evidence has been brought. We demanded 19 years. I do not know for what reasons this punishment was applied. Nine years is too little for the damage caused by Mr. Vlad Filat to the state. The sentence will be appealed,” Betisor said.   

Igor Popa said the goal of the file would be to eliminate Vlad Filat from the political stage. “No true fight against corruption has been made in this file. The cause has nothing in common with the bank fraud. The decision will be appealed at the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). We are sure that we will win the case at ECHR,” Popa stressed.

After the ruling had been pronounced, the ex-premier Vlad Filat said the decision was illegal. “You had to see the evidence presented by prosecutors. It is not truthful. The sentence will be appealed at ECHR,” Filat said.  

Also today, more MPs and members of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) from different Moldovan districts gathered at the Buiucani district court of Chisinau. They protested against the trial, demanding an open, fair trial, without a selective justice. At the same time, two representatives of the European Union Delegation to Moldova came to monitor the case; yet, they were denied access to the courtroom.  

The former prime minister, Vlad Filat, today was sentenced for nine years of imprisonment, fining with 3,000 conventional units (60,000 lei), withdrawal of the Order of the Republic, depriving of the right to hold public offices during five years and confiscation of more assets, among which houses, plots of land and cars. The sentence is subject to appeal.

Vlad Filat was detained on 15 October 2015, based on a self-denunciation by business man Ilan Shor. The latter said he had bribed Filat with 250 million dollars, with the charges turned down by Vlad Filat.    

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Raileanu)