After a hearing that lasted for over eight hours, the Buiucani District Court decided that former Prime Minister Vlad Fila will be placed under arrest for 30 days. When the sentence was passed, the journalists weren’t allowed to enter the courtroom and the information was communicated by anticorruption prosecutor Adriana Betidor and Filat’s lawyer Igor Popa, IPN reports.
The prosecutor said that Vlad Filat didn’t attend the hearing. A relevant application was filed for the reason that Filat didn’t feel well, but this fact wasn’t proven by a medical examination. The hearing lasted for so long because there were examined many aspects and proofs that confirmed the need of the arrest.
While the hearing was held, masked officers of the National Anticorruption Center were present in the halls of the court of law. The prosecutor explained that these were mobilized to ensure the hearing took place in a proper atmosphere because tensions were experienced on the eve.
Vlad Filat’s lawyer Igor Popa said after the hearing that the decision will be challenged at the Appeals Court and, if it upheld, the defense will go to the European Court of Human Rights. Vlad Filat complained about hypertension and asked for medical assistance. In the evening of October 17, Vlad Filat filed a complained against Ilan Shor, who ‘made calumnious and false statements’. The defense hopes the law enforcement bodies will take measures following the publication of particular proofs by the media.
The ex-Premier’s lawyers consider the arrest of Vlad Filat is illegal and groundless and was orchestrated because the procedure for withdrawing his parliamentary immunity didn’t take into account the presumption of innocence and the procedural guarantees of the person.
There were two camps of protesters in front of the court of law, who changed slogans pro and against Filat. Police officers formed a cordon between the protesters of the two camps.
On October 15, Parliament withdrew the immunity of Vlad Filat by the votes of 79 MPs of 101, following a request made by the prosecutor general. The Liberal-Democratic heavyweight is accused of passive corruption and traffic of influence. After the Parliament hearing, Vlad Filat was escorted to the National Anticorruption Center, where he was placed under arrest for 72 hours.
