Moldovan political scientist Vitaly Andrievsky on Tuesday, May 24, in an interview with Izvestia, explained why a criminal case was opened in the country against former head of state Igor Dodon.
“The fact is that everyone will consider this case in their own way, based on political convictions. In 2019, Dodon was at a meeting with businessman, leader of the Democratic Party Vladimir Plahotniuc. This meeting was caught on video. <…> They discussed the possibility of creating a coalition after the parliamentary elections in Moldova. Dodon said several things that led to the opening of a criminal case. <…> The video hit the web and caused a great resonance, ”he explained.
They will give for the current: will Igor Dodon be sent to prison
Why was the former President of Moldova prosecuted?
At the same time, the expert noted that then, in 2019, the prosecutor did not open the case, saying that there was no reason, since the video was not made with the assistance of the police, that is, it was recorded unofficially. At present, the case has been reopened, and Dodon is accused of corruption and treason, Andrievsky added.
“For all three years, the society constantly raised the question of why this story was closed. Prosecutor General Oleksandr Stoianoglo believed that there were not enough arguments in the case. Now he has been removed from office, the special commission has referred the case to the president [Maia Sandu], and the new acting prosecutor general has reopened the case. There could be any clue here. But in Moldova they understand that it is necessary to put an end to the matter. <…> But the process will not be quick and may take years,” the political scientist concluded.
Earlier that day, the representative of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Moldova, Marianna Kerpek, announced that searches were being carried out in the house of the former leader of the country. At the same time, the Rusputnikmd Telegram channel reported that Dodon was detained for 72 hours, but the Moldovan prosecutor’s office, in a conversation with Izvestia, did not confirm the information about Dodon’s detention.
The executive secretary of the Socialist Party, Vlad Batryncha, said that the searches at Dodon’s place are taking place because the authorities of the republic are fighting the opposition.
On May 18, it became known that a criminal case was initiated against the ex-president, the ex-leader of the republic is suspected of corruption. Acting Attorney General Dumitru Robu ordered the prosecution to begin.
The reason for the criminal prosecution was a video recorded on a hidden camera in June 2019. On it, the then leader of the Democratic Party, Plahotniuc, discussed with Dodon the situation in the country after the parliamentary elections. Plahotniuc then tried to give the former head of Moldova a black package, which, presumably, contained money.
Dodon then refused to accept a bribe, but the opposition parties still accused him of corruption. In response to the accusations, the ex-president said that this is how the current authorities are trying to shift the focus of the population from their own failures.