Corruption, financial fraud investigated under new rules in Moldova; powers of three corruption-fighting institutions redefined

The powers of the institutions responsible for investigating corruption, financial fraud and organized crime have been redefined through a draft law adopted by parliament in the second reading.

The legislative initiative, drafted by the Justice Ministry, establishes distinct responsibilities for the National Anti-Corruption Center (CNA), the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) and the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Causes (PCCOCS).

A member of the legal commission for appointments and immunities, Igor Chiriac, presented the report on the draft law at the plenary meeting.

“The draft law is a direct measure to harmonize the institutional capacities of  Moldova with European standards in the field of protecting financial interests, aiming at implementing and fulfilling the conditionalities set out in the reforms’ agenda. Also, the promotion of the draft law will meet the intermediate benchmarks put forward by the European Commission, in the context of accession negotiations to the European Union, targeting the following aspects of strategic interest:

– clarifying the scope of competence in investigating corruption offences; – strengthening the system for investigating economic and financial offences by reviewing the legal competences of the specialized authorities responsible for identifying and investigating these offences; – strengthening inter-institutional cooperation between the prosecution system, criminal investigation bodies and supervisory authorities, in order to streamline efforts to prevent and combat hybrid offences, acts of corruption and other categories of crimes.”

The draft law was approved in the first reading at the plenary meeting of May 21, 2026. For the second reading, the MPs’ amendments, the opinions of the standing committees, the opinion of the General Legal Directorate of the Parliament’s Secretariat, as well as the proposals and objections formulated during public consultations were examined. In addition, on May 25, 2026, the Committee organized public consultations attended by representatives of the public administration authorities responsible for the field, MPs, representatives of the justice system and of civil society,'' the cited source said.

According to the document, the CNA will investigate serious bank fraud cases, in which the damage exceeds the equivalent of 250 average monthly salaries on the economy. Cases involving lower damages will stay within the competence of the tax authorities. At the same time, the institution will be able to investigate money laundering as an autonomous offence.

To cope with its new responsibilities, an additional deputy director position will be created at the CNA and the mandate of the institution’s director will be limited to a maximum of two terms.

At the same time, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office will coordinate the criminal investigation in high-level corruption cases involving high-ranking officials, including the President of Moldova, the parliament speaker, MPs, the prime minister, judges, members of the Superior Council of Magistracy and of the Superior Council of Prosecutors, as well as the leadership of the CNA and of the Intelligence and Security Service.

The authors of the draft say that these changes are necessary, in order to ensure independent and specialized investigations, to avoid conflicts of interest and to strengthen public trust in state institutions.

At the same time, the PCCOCS will be relieved of investigating less complex offences and will focus its activity on cases of terrorism, organized crime and other particularly serious cases. Economic, financial and customs cases involving damages not exceeding 50,000 conventional units may be investigated by the State Tax Service and the Customs Service, under the conditions provided by law and under the leadership of the PCCOCS.

For the second reading, the draft was supplemented with amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, which clarify the possibility of challenging all court decisions on preventive measures at any stage of the criminal proceedings and until a judgment on the merits is delivered.

The legislative amendments will enter into force upon publication in the Official Journal.