Circumstances of the criminal case concerning the 31 buses indicate that two bids were made at the tender for the procurement of transport units. However, without any objective reasons, one of the two bidders was disqualified. In this respect, the designated winning company was operating within a jurisdiction that did not implement international transparency standards.

It is assumed that the public procurement procedure was carried out with deviations from the effective legislation, by violating the basic principles of public procurement, such as the efficient use of public money, equal treatment, impartiality, non-discrimination with regard to public bidders and economic operators.

Mariana Bețivu, press officer of General Inspectorate of Police, told IPN that on August 12, the General Directorate for Criminal Investigation initiated a criminal case based on the reasonable suspicion of involvement in crime stipulated in article 327 of the Criminal Code. It is about "abuse of power or abuse of service committed in the material interest, for the purpose of carrying out other personal interests or in the interest of a third person".

The criminal proceedings were instituted on the fact of illegal actions committed by decision-makers of the General Directorate for public transport and communications of Chisinau City Hall in charge of the purchase of 31 buses by the Urban Bus Park.

The 31 new buses cost the municipality 78 million lei. The new transport units arrived in Chisinau in February this year. In the public space there were discussions about suspicions that an intermediary bought the buses and sold them to Chisinau municipality, appropriating the price difference.