Ex-mayor of Băcioi sentenced to 8 more years for corruption, now on the run
The former mayor of Băcioi, a suburb of the capital, was sentenced to an additional eight years in prison for passive corruption. He has also been ordered to pay a fine of 150,000 lei and will be prohibited from holding public office for five years. Vitalie Şalari is currently outside the Republic of Moldova and is being tried in absentia.
A decision was made on September 26 by the Chisinau Court based in Buiucani regarding a former mayor. He was found guilty of abuse of office but was released from criminal liability due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. In this case, the civil claims of the injured parties were accepted, and a civil court will determine the amount of compensation.
Evidence presented by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Center indicated that between May and June 2012, the former mayor and his father allegedly demanded the transfer of two plots of land from two citizens. In return, they promised to issue the necessary certificates for connecting to the electricity grid.
The land, valued at over 757,000 lei, was reportedly transferred to third parties and subsequently sold to a relative, resulting in significant financial harm. The former mayor's father, who was also a defendant in the case, was acquitted since the court found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Later, in April and May 2015, the former mayor allegedly sold an eight-hectare agricultural plot owned by the commune without obtaining the approval of the local council or conducting a public auction. This land was valued at approximately 680,000 lei but was sold for only 350,000 lei, causing considerable damage to the Băcioi City Hall.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office reported that the former mayor had previously been sentenced to eight years in prison for similar offences.
