Moldova renews push for Plahotniuc arrest over bank fraud
Interpol has agreed to revisit its July 2020 decision to deny an international search request for former Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc, following a request from the authorities in Chișinău.
Veronica Dragalin, head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, stated on November 26 that the case of the former deputy would be reexamined "in light of new circumstances."
"As a result, the individual in question and his lawyers will have the opportunity to present evidence and arguments. Similarly, the Republic of Moldova will be able to argue again why this criminal case is lawful, just, and consistent with Interpol’s Constitution, aiming to place Plahotniuc on the wanted list, have him arrested, and extradite him to the Republic of Moldova for his involvement in the so-called bank fraud case," Dragalin explained.
Notably, the announcement by the head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office came just one day after her deputy, Octavian Iachimovschi, stated during Radio Moldova’s At 360 Degrees program that authorities are making every effort to extradite Plahotniuc and other fugitive oligarchs, such as Veaceslav Platon and Ilan Șor, to the Republic of Moldova.
It is worth recalling that former Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc fled Moldova in the summer of 2019, alongside oligarch Ilan Șor, after the Democratic Party ceded power. That same year, the authorities in Chișinău requested Interpol to issue a search alert for Plahotniuc, who was subject to an arrest warrant on charges of money laundering. These charges relate to his alleged role in the scheme that siphoned over one billion dollars from the banking system, commonly referred to as the "2014 Bank Fraud" case.
In July 2020, the Interpol Commission rejected Moldova’s request, erasing all data regarding the former Democratic deputy from the international organization’s system.
It should be noted that in December 2022, UK authorities imposed sanctions on Vlad Plahotniuc and Ilan Șor, citing their involvement in the "2014 Bank Fraud" case. Previously, the two were also placed on the United States sanctions list, alongside other individuals and entities implicated in systemic corruption and interference in Moldova’s electoral processes, allegedly serving Russia's interests.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
