New convictions in Shor party's case in Moldova; head of party's Basarabeasca Office sentenced to three years of imprisonment

The head of the Basarabeasca Territorial Office of the former Shor party has been sentenced to three years of imprisonment in a semi-closed type penitentiary and was declared wanted. He was found guilty of complicity in accepting the illegal financing of the party by an organized criminal group led by Ilan Shor.

According to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (PA), the court also ruled to deprive the defendant of the right to conduct accounting and financial activities in political parties, as well as the right to be a party member for a period of four years.

Until the sentence becomes final, the defendant was subjected to preventive arrest and declared internationally wanted. In addition, the confiscation in favor of the state of over 1.75 million lei, money used in the illegal activities of the party, was ordered, and the seizure on his assets was maintained.

The investigations carried out by the PA showed that the defendant, as a local leader of the formation, knowingly accepted money from illegal sources for organizing protests and remunerating participants, with the aim of influencing political processes in Moldova.

The former Shor Political Party was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court's Decision No. 10 from June 19, 2023, and subsequently removed from the State Register of Legal Entities on January 23, 2024.

The sentence is not final and may be appealed at the Chisinau Court of Appeal in 15 days.