The Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) knew about the Russian citizens’ actions aimed at undermining security in Moldova and informed the senior administration and the Prosecutor’s Office of this, said the service’s director Alexandru Musteață. According to him, the state institutions knew about the illegalities committed by the Moldovan and Russian citizens who were sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury two days ago, IPN reports.
The SIS, the Prosecutor’s Office and the National Anticorruption Center cooperated to obtain the internal conviction of the two Moldovans sanctioned by the U.S. According to Musteață, national and international warrants for the arrest of Vlad Plahotniuc and Ilan Shor were issued and these will be arrested on their return to Moldova.
“The SIS, the National Anticorruption Center not only knew but also informed the prosecution bodies so that they started criminal cases against them and criminal cases and arrest warrants against them exist. The criminal cases started against the citizens of the Republic of Moldova sanctioned by the U.S., Vlad Plahontiuc and Ilan Shor, are pending in court. The persons absconded from the Moldovan justice but national and international warrants for their arrest were issued. So, the SIS fulfilled its duties and cooperated with the prosecution bodies in this regard,” Alexandru Musteață stated in the program “Good Evening” on the public TV channel M1.
The SIS chief also said that the Service knew that the Russians who were sanctioned by the U.S., among whom are Igor Chayka, Yuriy Gudilin and Olga Grak, worked in Moldova to influence the electoral options of citizens and to keep the country in Russia’s sphere of influence.
“The SIS pronounced on the issue and informed the prosecution bodies and the senior administration. We monitor the activities of the persons from outside the country who aim to undermine national security,” stated Alexandru Musteață.
He noted that the Service, together with representatives of the Bureau for Migration and Asylum, is to decide if the Russians citizens sanctioned by the U.S. are desirable or not in Moldova. The sanctions imposed by the U.S. on the 21 individuals and entities include the ban on performing international transactions.
“It is a very powerful international message that these persons who are suspected of acts of corruption and state capture, who undermined the security of the Republic of Moldova will be unable to perform international transactions in currency. The legal effects of these sanctions refer primarily to the international banking sector,” said the SIS head.
On October 26, U.S. Ambassador to Moldova Kent D. Logsdon announced that the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on nine individuals and 12 legal entities of Moldova and Russia, including Vlad Plahotniuc and Ilan Shor, for capturing and corrupting political and economic institutions of the country and for acting as instruments of the Russian influence campaign in Moldova.
