Statement: Plahotniuc will no longer delay court hearings, the legislation was amended
Lilian Carp, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for National Security, Defense and Public Order and candidate from the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) in the upcoming September 28 parliamentary elections, stated that the repeated delays in court hearings regarding former Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc will no longer be tolerated.
These delays were part of a strategy by which Plahotniuc hoped for a favorable electoral result.
"He is trying to procrastinate, but this strategy will not work indefinitely," he explained on the "La 360 de grade" show on Radio Moldova.
Lilian Carp noted that the legislation was amended to prevent unjustified postponements of court hearings. If lawyers try to delay the proceedings, the defendant will automatically be assigned a lawyer ex officio, which happened in mid-September this year.
If reasons such as health problems or other pretexts are invoked, the trials will continue without interruption. The new regulation practically eliminates the frequent postponements that have occurred so far. Lilian Carp added that Plahotniuc will be held accountable for all illegalities and abuses committed.
"There are many lives ruined by this person, but also political careers destroyed. He will answer for every deed he committed", Carp said fo Radio Moldova.
We recall that the Chisinau Court based in Buiucani decided on September 29 to separate Plahotniuc's case from the "bank fraud" file, known as the "theft of the billion". The prosecutor of the case, Alexandru Cernei, welcomed this decision, considering it essential for accelerating the procedures and protecting the rights of the other defendants. Plahotniuc's lawyer, Lucian Rogac, criticized the decision, describing it as "abusive" and "illegal".
The case concerns the theft of billions of lei from Banca de Economii, Unibank and Banca Socială in 2014. Investigators claim that Plahotniuc benefited from over 39 million dollars and 3.5 million euros, risking between 8 and 15 years in prison.
Plahotniuc is also targeted in other criminal cases, such as "Metalferos", "Kuliok" and the one regarding the fraudulent procurement of passport blanks, which are at the criminal investigation stage.
Vladimir Plahotniuc was detained last summer in Greece, and on September 25 he was extradited to Chisinau and placed in prison no. 13 in the capital.
