Moldova PM nominee Alexandru Munteanu addresses Pandora Papers allegations
Economist and businessman Alexandru Munteanu has issued his first public statement since being nominated for the post of Prime Minister of the former Soviet republic of Moldova.
He confirmed he is in talks with the ruling party about the mandate and stated he would act transparently, promising clarifications after the new parliament's legal constitution procedures are finalised. Mr Munteanu also responded to press reports about his activity in the investment environment, denying any connection with politician Marian Lupu and specifying that the companies he managed were legally established and operated, in accordance with international standards.
"I have received numerous questions from friends, business partners, colleagues in civil society, and the press. I am indeed discussing the candidacy for Prime Minister with the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), to whom I am grateful for their trust," Mr Munteanu said in a message published on Tuesday.
He mentioned that he had not been a public figure until now but understands the importance of transparency in the decision-making process: "It is important that we follow the existing legal procedures, await the validation of the election results by the Constitutional Court, the inaugural session of the newly elected Parliament, and discussions with the President."
In the same message, Mr Munteanu addressed the subject of investigations in which his name is mentioned, after Ziarul de Gardă wrote that he appears in the 2021 Pandora Papers database, associated with two offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. The first bears almost the same name as his firm founded in Kyiv in 2016, "4i Capital Partners," and in both cases, he is mentioned alongside his partner, Kamil Goca.
Furthermore, the publication Neorama reported that, in 2007, after Mr Munteanu was awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor of France, he was congratulated at a reception by Marian Lupu, Iurie Roșca, and Chiril Lucinschi. In his speech at the time, Lupu said he had met Mr Munteanu in 1994, in Washington, describing him as an "important political signal."
In response, Mr Munteanu clarified he has no connection with Marian Lupu and that his activity in the investment environment has complied with all legal norms.
"I have not met, nor have I had any interaction or partnership with the politician in question. The simple fact that a company appears in the Pandora Papers documents only means that it was registered in a jurisdiction with a special tax regime – a legal practice, frequently used in international investments," Alexandru Munteanu explained.
He added that all companies he has owned or managed "were constituted in accordance with international legislation and had transparent operations."
PAS: We sought an economic, not a political, profile
According to PAS, Mr Munteanu's nomination reflects the party's desire to have a Prime Minister with solid experience in economics and investment.
"Our goal was to identify a person with an economic profile. Mr Munteanu has extensive experience in economics and investment. We discussed it with colleagues from the faction and agreed he would be a good candidate," Deputy Radu Marian told Teleradio-Moldova.
He added that Mr Munteanu "came into focus with extensive experience in investment funds, work experience at the World Bank, at the National Bank of Moldova, taught economics, and studied at Columbia University in New York."
"We consider that Mr Munteanu's profile is very, very good for the Republic of Moldova. We have the necessary votes, but it remains for other factions to decide whether they will support him," the PAS deputy specified.
Opposition stance: "One person alone cannot change things"
Opposition leaders avoided giving a clear statement on the candidacy, stating that they will analyse the governance programme before any potential decision.
"We'll get there and we'll see. If we'll support him? We need to see the programme. You can't just say, off the top of your head, if you support him or not. It must be a person who can pull Moldova out of this deadlock," said socialist deputy Zinaida Greceanîi, a member of the Patriotic Bloc.
"A Prime Minister alone cannot do anything. We will see the programme and if he is capable of taking responsibility for the entire PAS government," she added.
The candidacy of Alexandru Munteanu, an economist, university professor, and businessman with a career of over 25 years in international investment, will be put forward by the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) for the position of Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, after the validation of the deputy mandates by the Constitutional Court and the calling of the inaugural session of the new Parliament by President Maia Sandu. The announcement was made on Tuesday, October 14, by the Parliament Speaker, Igor Grosu, on social media.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
