Moldova's Plahotniuc extradition: President Sandu calls it 'critical test' for justice
The detention and extradition of former Moldovan politician Vladimir Plahotniuc is "good news for everyone," but his court cases remain a "critical test" for the national justice system, according to President Maia Sandu.
Ms Sandu warned that the former politician might attempt to bribe judges and prosecutors and stressed that the justice system must remain strong to continue the vetting process and fight corruption in Moldova.
"The Moldovan justice system has had six years of freedom. She conceded that during Plahotniuc’s time, it did not have the freedom to operate fully. And that's no excuse. Because if you are a judge or a prosecutor, it doesn't matter who is in power. You have to do your job. If you can't, you leave the system if you're a coward. But after Plahotniuc left, there were six years—more than enough time for prosecutors, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, and PCCOCS, and for the courts where the files were sent. So there is no excuse. This is the justice system's most important test before its citizens," Ms Sandu said on the "Interviews without Protocol" podcast with Dorin Galben.
Asked if the former politician might have wanted to be caught, Ms Sandu flatly dismissed the notion, asking: "Why would anyone want to go to prison? After six years of hiding, I don't believe for a second that it was a plan to let himself be arrested. I believe that now that he has been arrested, he is making plans to try to bribe one person or another. But it’s best not to elaborate too much on this subject, because court decisions are pending, and obviously, anything the authorities, the President, or the Prime Minister say can be used by lawyers against the prosecution."
The head of state clarified that negotiations regarding Plahotniuc's extradition were conducted exclusively between authorities in Chișinău and Athens.
Sorin Ioniță on Moldova 1: Plahotniuc's extradition is R. Moldova's "Governmental Victory," and the "justice test" follows
Discussing Plahotniuc's political relevance, Ms Sandu stressed that "he must answer for all the abuses he committed," describing his actions as "mafia-style."
"Imagine if those who are currently benefiting from bought votes come to power. Which one of them hasn't had a relationship with Plahotniuc? Dodon had a relationship with Plahotniuc. Voronin did. So, if we count them, they all had ties to Plahotniuc. Do you think that if they come to power—through bought votes, through manipulation, through all the money Russia is pouring into Moldova—they will keep Plahotniuc in prison? No. Because Plahotniuc has sufficient information to blackmail them," the President pointed out.
Ms Sandu added that, over time, Plahotniuc’s visits to Moscow and his collaborations with other politicians had only one goal: money.
"These people are only after money. Both Dodon and the rest. They are not ideologically attached to Russia. They are not ideologically attached to anything... They are here for the money, only for the money. And they are all united by money. And the thirst for power. But the thirst for power is again linked to money, because they want power to make money," the head of state added.
Ms Sandu believes the former oligarch holds compromising materials that he uses as a blackmail tool.
"He was very angry with Igor Dodon back then. He released a snippet. If you remember, in 2019, he released part of the footage. But there are other videos that he's saving for times like these, because he very much hopes his friends will return to power and, consequently, he can get out of prison thanks to this dirt," she anticipated.
"I received signals that they want to put me in prison"
Ms Sandu revealed that she received threats from the entourage of Plahotniuc and Igor Dodon: "I received signals that if Plahotniuc is brought into the country, they will put me in prison. That was the message they sent me. (...) It’s clear that I am a major obstacle to these people, and they will try to remove me from power if they manage to control Parliament."
Asked what would happen if the PAS did not obtain a parliamentary majority and Plahotniuc went free, Ms Sandu replied: "That now depends on the citizens. If the citizens sell their votes and facilitate Plahotniuc's release, then we deserve our fate."
Regarding the "billion dollar theft" case, Ms Sandu mentioned that Plahotniuc's arrest could help clarify the files, but she emphasized that the process of recovering stolen assets is lengthy and requires cooperation with multiple states, including France.
On the same podcast, President Sandu gave an extensive assessment of the judicial reform process in the Republic of Moldova, highlighting both the progress made and the difficulties that have slowed the pace of change.
"Looking back, the only thing that could have radically changed the results was a constitutional amendment. Within the current constitutional framework, there was little else we could have done. Changing the Constitution is a dramatic measure, and it would have required the support of the citizens. We probably would have had it, but the reaction of partners and other political actors would have remained unknown," the head of state explained.
According to the President, the choice not to amend the Constitution meant the reforms proceeded on "a more arduous path," with visible but slower results and the risk of some progress being undone. "We were too optimistic; we believed we could clean up the system without dramatic measures. Nevertheless, the process must continue," she noted.
Ms Sandu reiterated the importance of the external evaluation (vetting) of judges and prosecutors, which, in her opinion, should continue for at least the next two years to guarantee that no corrupt individuals remain in the system's ranks.
"Some judges show courage, but very few get involved in high-level corruption cases or cases targeting dangerous figures. The reform must continue; we have a test ahead of us," President Sandu concluded.
The aircraft carrying former Democratic Party boss Vladimir Plahotniuc, extradited from Greece, landed on Thursday morning, September 25, at the "Eugen Doga" International Airport – Chișinău. The oligarch was extradited to the Republic of Moldova, more than six years after fleeing the country.
The airport runway was guarded by numerous police crews, and the moment was broadcast live on Moldova 1 as part of a special edition. Shortly after 11:00 AM, Vladimir Plahotniuc arrived at Prison No. 13 in the capital, where he will be held in a separate cell.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
