President announced measures following abuses at MoldATSA

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu announced today during a press conference a set of measures aimed at strengthening integrity in state institutions, following the abuses at MoldATSA. The head of state stressed that these cases have revealed vulnerabilities that must be eliminated through swift and firm interventions.

“Preferential treatment, unmerited benefits, and waste of public money are unacceptable. The fact that such actions were committed by a person from my entourage makes the situation worse and obliges me to act with even greater firmness,” the President said.

According to the head of state, the situation at MoldATSA demonstrates the existence of systemic problems that require changes both in the process of appointing people to leadership positions and in the way state-owned enterprises are supervised and abuses are sanctioned. In this context, the President asked the Government and the responsible institutions to implement a package of measures to strengthen transparency, accountability, and control in the public sector:

- Reform the process of appointing people to leadership positions in key institutions by introducing mandatory clearances from the Intelligence and Security Service and the National Anticorruption Center, verifying professional experience, and requesting references from previous employers.

- Review all boards of directors of state-owned enterprises, reduce the number of their members, limit a person’s participation to a single board, and regulate the remuneration granted.

- Publish performance indicators for each state-owned enterprise and report results every six months.

- List minority share packages of eligible enterprises on the stock exchange, in the Republic of Moldova and on regional markets, in order to increase transparency and strengthen corporate governance.

- Publish annually the financial statements, external audit reports, reports of the boards of directors, management remuneration, and reports on public procurement.

- Reorganize the Public Property Agency by separating the administration of enterprises with commercial potential from the management of other state assets.

- Audit all state-owned enterprises, with a focus on salaries and public procurement, to prevent the abusive use of public funds.

- Investigate and sanction all abuses, as well as fully recover the damage caused to the state.

- Evaluate all consultancy contracts financed from external assistance, to verify whether they meet institutional needs and deliver quality results. The President called on oversight institutions to investigate all cases with maximum rigor, regardless of the position or political affiliation of the persons concerned.

“Nothing can serve as a cover to justify abuses. Any amount obtained undeservedly or through abuse must be returned to the state. All those who have done wrong must be held accountable,” the head of state affirmed.

In conclusion, Maia Sandu emphasized that restoring citizens’ trust and strengthening the integrity of institutions is a priority.

“We must repair all breaches, clean up institutions, especially at the level of leadership positions, and restore people’s trust in our commitment to building a fair state and a free, European country,” the President declared.