Court upholds acquittal of Moldova's ex-top prosecutor Stoianoglo
The Centre Court of Appeal has upheld the February 2024 ruling of the Chisinau District Court (Buiucani seat), fully acquitting former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo.
The case concerned the alleged illegal payment of a severance package to Nicolae Chitoroagă, former head of the Prosecution Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS). Stoianoglo, who is currently a member of the Moldovan Parliament, stated that the ruling proves the charges against him were groundless.
"Another criminal case used to illegally arrest and remove me from office has collapsed," Stoianoglo wrote on social media on Tuesday, July 14. He added that the court confirmed his innocence and ruled that his actions did not constitute a crime.
The appellate court also upheld the acquittal of Maria Cobzari, former head of the Human Resources Department at the General Prosecutor's Office. Stoianoglo noted that the decision fully exonerated her from what he described as absurd allegations.
Prosecutors had claimed Stoianoglo exceeded his official authority in 2021 by approving a severance payout of €8,362 (approx. 163,900 MDL) to Chitoroagă. They argued Chitoroagă was ineligible for severance because he was facing an active criminal investigation when his employment ended.
Stoianoglo clarified that the payment resulted from a technical error and that Chitoroagă fully reimbursed the state following an internal audit.
Appointed as Prosecutor General in November 2019 for a seven-year term, Stoianoglo was suspended in October 2021 amid multiple criminal charges. He was formally dismissed by presidential decree in September 2023 and subsequently elected to Parliament in September 2025 on the Alternativa Block platform.
Separately, on June 29, 2026, the Buiucani seat of the Chisinau District Court dismissed another case against Stoianoglo involving privacy violation charges filed by former Anti-Corruption Chief Prosecutor Viorel Morari.
The court ruled that Stoianoglo's public disclosures during a press conference did not meet the threshold of a criminal offense, rejecting Morari's civil claim. The Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office has announced plans to appeal that ruling within the statutory 15-day window.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
