Moldovan PM says corruption national vulnerability that harms entire society, even national security

Corruption is not just a problem for the National Anti-Corruption Center (CNA), the Prosecutor's Office, or any other institution. It is a shared responsibility of all state institutions and a national vulnerability, which harms the entire society and even the national security. Prime Minister Dorin Recean today made statements to this effect after a meeting of the Anti-Corruption Platform, which brought together representatives of the anti-corruption institutions – Prosecutor General’s Office (PG), Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA), Prosecutor’s Office for Combating the Organized Crime and Special Causes (PCCOCS), Interior Ministry (MAI), CNA, Criminal Assets Recovery Agency (ARBI), Office for Prevention and Fight Against Money Laundering (SPCSB), Intelligence and Security Service (SIS), National Integrity Authority (ANI) - as well as the Ministry of Justice.

The PM emphasized the urgency with which state institutions must implement two priorities: closer collaboration between institutions and combating electoral corruption.

    



“During today's discussion with representatives of anti-corruption and organized crime institutions, I stressed the urgency with which we must put into practice two priorities. The first is closer and more active collaboration between institutions and each must bravely assume its role. The second concerns combating electoral corruption. We have seen in elections how electoral corruption can destroy the sovereignty of a state. The role of state institutions is to stop this serious and destructive phenomenon,” Dorin Recean stressed.

The prime minister noted that the fight against corruption was not a bureaucratic exercise and that any unjustified delay, blockage or shifting of responsibility slows down the anti-corruption fight — and this can no longer be tolerated. Everyone must clearly know what, how and where to act, PM also said.

Dorin Recean also addressed the risks related to legislative manipulations as regards the amnesty law, noting that such schemes of legislative vitiation, to favor dangerous criminals or to the detriment of the public interest, must never repeat.

“We have been recently one step away from a moral and institutional catastrophe. I mean the legislative manipulations concerning the amnesty law. We saw how a few amendments — because the problem is not in the law, but in the amendments subsequently slipped in — could have led to the mass release of dangerous criminals. The second essential factor was abuse in the judicial system and within the National Penitentiary Administration. The abusive application of the law in favor of offenders was possible only due to skillfully introduced amendments, in an apparent legal framework, through silent complicity,” said the Prime Minister.

Another aspect emphasized by the prime minister targets electoral corruption. The PM warned that, in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections due in next autumn, there might again be attempts at massive vote-buying, and the role of state institutions is to stop this serious phenomenon.

“We have seen how electoral corruption can destroy the sovereignty of a state during elections. Millions of dollars were allocated by the Russian Federation, through the Shor criminal group, to derail democratic elections. Over 6,000 citizens have already been sanctioned administratively for electoral corruption at the last autumn elections. In total, over 140,000 citizens are targeted in criminal cases. The parliamentary elections due in autumn come next. There will again be attempts at massive vote-buying and the role of state institutions is to stop this serious phenomenon,” said Dorin Recean.

In these conditions, the prime minister emphasized that Moldova faced an important choice and that a common effort was needed to become a member state of the European Union, with prosperity, peace and justice.

“We are facing a choice: either we lose this historic moment — out of fear, laziness, cynicism or fatigue — or we act together: state institutions, police officers, judges, prosecutors, to become a member state of the European Union, with prosperity, peace and justice,” Dorin Recean added.

The Anti-Corruption Platform was established by the Ministry of Justice with the purpose of streamlining the process of policy coordination in the field, active involvement of authorities and institutions in solving problems and also to facilitate inter-institutional communication and cooperation.