Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo considers the punishment in the form of fine given to the former director of the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) Vasile Botnari, who is the only person convicted in the case of expulsion of Turkish teachers, is a harsher punishment than probation, IPN reports.

“The punishment with fine of 100,000 lei or 90,000 lei is a harsher punishment than probation, to my mind. Moreover, if you want to know, I was the first who announced that such a sentence was given even if the court classified the sentence. We didn’t intend to hide something,” the prosecutor general told a news conference.

Apart from the fine, Vasile Botnari paid €125,000 damages to the families of the Turkish teachers and approximately 400,000 lei, which was the cost of the flight by which the expelled teachers were transported to Turkey. Alexandr Stoianoglo said the Prosecutor General’s Office didn’t determine where Botnari took this money from after he didn’t indicate it in his tax return as this is the duty of the National Integrity Authority.

The case in which the former SIS director was investigated was secret. As a result of public pressure, the Chisinau City Court in the middle of September published an extract from the sentence passed on July 15. The extract shows Vasile Botnari was sentenced to a fine of 88,000 lei and was banned from holding public posts during five years. He was found guilty of abuse of power in personal interests or in the interests of third parties.