The former head of the Chisinau Transport Division Igor Gamretski on August 3 was sentenced to two years in a semi-closed type prion for influence peddling. The court also banned Gamretski from holding public posts for a period of three years, IPN reports.

After the sentence was passed, Igor Gamretski said the decision will be appealed to the higher court, noting he didn’t’ expect such a harsh punishment. Everyone has their own position and should answer for their deeds. “If I give testimony, I think half of my ex-colleagues will have to leave. One should not believe that they are too clean. It won’t do. Everyone defends their rights in accordance with the law and the truth,” he stated.

The prosecutor in this case Dumitru Robu said the punishment will start to be applied when a definitive judgment is passed. The prosecution asked for two years behind bars and ban on holding public posts for a period of three years. “We consider the punishment set by the court will help reach the goal of disciplining and reeducating the convict and of preventing the commission of such acts in the future, by the convict and by other persons,” stated the prosecutor.

Igor Gamretski is accused of influence peddling when choosing companies that were to build pay parking spaces in Chisinau. The same case involves the Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca. On July 21, the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office announced that the investigation was finished and the case was remitted to curt. Then the prosecutors said that Igor Gamretski admitted his guilt.