Society

23 April, 2026 / 13:18

/ 3 hours ago

Searches in Chișinău and Orhei on electoral corruption case: 26 people suspected

Dozens of searches were carried out in Chișinău and Orhei in a case of electoral corruption and illegal financing of political parties, and 26 people have been recognized as suspects.

According to the National Anticorruption Center (NAC), the institution’s officers, together with prosecutors from the Chișinău Municipal Prosecutor’s Office, conducted approximately 50 searches as part of a criminal case concerning the illegal financing of political parties under aggravated circumstances. The actions were initiated following evidence collected after the 2025 parliamentary elections, which revealed new relevant elements.

Preliminary data show that the case targets a group of individuals consisting of mayors, district and local councilors, as well as persons from outside the public sector. They are suspected that, prior to the elections, they implemented a mechanism to influence voters.

More specifically, the suspects allegedly identified and recruited voters or supporters to whom they promised or offered money, goods, or services in order to persuade them to vote in a certain way or to support specific political parties. At the same time, according to the NAC, these actions were allegedly carried out using financial resources prohibited by law and not declared in official reports.

In parallel, the investigation also concerns acts of electoral corruption, manifested through the provision of material benefits in exchange for influencing voting behavior. Following the raids, law enforcement officers seized documents, data storage devices, and other evidence relevant to the investigation.

At this stage, the 26 individuals have the status of suspects and are being investigated while at liberty.

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