Moldova: Another case against Chirtoaca: Mayor exceeds his duties

Mayor of Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, suspended from office, is prosecuted in a new criminal case, being suspected of overcoming his duties. The Prosecution Office issued an order of recognizing the mayor as a suspect, but it would be pronounced on Friday, because the mayor came to the public prosecutor without his lawyers.

Dorin-Chirtoacă

According to the NAC, in the period of 1998 to 2013, the courts issued 383 decisions obliging the Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC) to provide different people and their families with housing from the public housing fund. Thus, during the period of 2012 – January this year, the City Hall of the capital, represented by the Mayor of Chisinau, concluded settlement agreements with the people that the CMC was obliged to provide with housing.

According to the prosecutors, with the common agreement of the parties, it was established that the City Hall of Chisinau would pay to the creditors the average cost of an apartment, with different surfaces, depending on the family composition, using the “First House” project, initiated by the Chisinau City Hall. At the same time, it was agreed that the final sum, paid by the City Hall of Chisinau would be 664 euro / 1 sqm, of which 564 euro / 1 sqm – the average price for the apartment without decoration and 100 euro / 1 sqm – for repairs.

Later, the mayor of Chisinau, the creditors and court executors signed a record of reconciliation on the settlement conditions, according to which the City Hall transferred the money to the accounts of the court executors. This happened even if, according to the court rulings, the CMC was obliged to offer people and their families a living space with a right to use it and not to pay money for the purchase of housing in private ownership.

The General Mayor was to ensure the execution of the decisions of the local council and to track the distribution of the housing stock, but in no case to approve the local budget and its use, which is the basic competence of the Chisinau Municipal Council, especially since there is no decision of CMC on empowering the mayor to conclude such reconciliation transactions with creditors.

Thus, by concluding 81 reconciliation transactions and paying funds of the municipal budget in the total amount of 66.7 million lei, the mayor of Chisinau caused substantial damage to the local public administration. Additionally, the municipality of Chisinau has a list of persons, requiring housing and the court decisions on the distribution of such housing. However, following an analysis of the executed court orders it was found that the City Hall of Chisinau did not ensure a transparent realization of court rulings.

The criminal prosecution also involves other persons, who have been involved in the criminal scheme, which existed for many years in the City Hall. The scheme provided for the change of housing ownership titles in exchange of some financial bonuses.

We remind you that Dorin Chirtoaca is also investigated in the paid parking case, being suspected of influence peddling.

07 September 2017

Crime Moldova

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