The hearing in the case of former Prime Minister Vlad Filat that was to take place at the Chisinau Appeals Court on October 11 was postponed until October 18, IPN reports.

Lawyer Igor Popa told the journalists that the defense asked to bring witnesses from Russia, who they consider important in this case, but he didn’t provide details. He noted that the court is to pronounce on the matter in the next hearing and they will continue to insist that the hearings should be made public.

Hearings were scheduled for October 18, 19, 22 and 25. Igor Popa said such a tight schedule shows that the goal is to bring this case to an end as swifter as possible and with a decision taken in secret, as in the case of the Buiucani Court.

The prosecutors didn’t make statements for the press.

By the decision of the Buiucani Court of June 27, 2016, Vlad Filat was sentenced to nine years in jail and fined 60,000 lei. The court also ordered to confiscate illegally obtained property to the value of 791 million lei from him. The prosecutors consider the sentence is too mild and demand that the ex-Premier should be jailed for 19 years. Vlad Filat pleads not guilty.