A businessman, found guilty of active corruption, was freed from criminal punishment due to the legislative changes that came into force in September 2024, which reduced the penalties for particular acts of corruption and shortened the statute of limitations, said the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (APO). According to the institution, the judgement passed by the Buiucani Court of Chisinau City on February 6, 2025 sets an important precedent for the Moldovan judiciary, IPN reports.

The APO noted that although the court found the businessman guilty, the amendments brought to the Criminal Code by Law No. 136 of June 6, 2024, applicable from September 7, 2024, led to the reclassification of the offense. Thus, the crime of active corruption, initially considered serious and punishable by up to 6 years in prison, was placed in the category of minor crimes, punishable by a fine of 75,000 lei. This change led to the expiration of the 2-year statute of limitations, which allowed the defendant to avoid criminal punishment.

This is not the only case of this kind. The reduction of the sentence for some of the corruption crimes limits the law enforcement agencies’ capacity to investigate and punish such acts. In addition, for minor offenses, the statute of limitations is significantly shorter and the use of special methods of investigation is restricted. This situation raises questions about the effectiveness of the fight against corruption and the real impact of the legislation on the administration of justice, explained representatives of the APO.

The sentence can be appealed to the Centru Court of Appeals within 15 days of the release of the integral judgment.