Activist Fiodor Ghelici says Ion Butmalai must have been murdered, as the former MP, who was found dead in his Cahul home on Monday, “knew too much”.
Ghelici, who presents himself as a diplomat and appointed-ambassador of the International Organization for Economic Development (IOED), stated in a press conference he was certain Ion Butmalai didn't commit suicide. “I knew him personally. He was a strong man, he would have never resorted to suicide”.
Fiodor Ghelici said that when he last time met with Ion Butmalai in autumn, the former Liberal-Democrat deputy told him he was afraid for his life because he had become inconvenient and he knew too much about the leadership and the internal situation of the party. Butmalai also said he was planning to make some disclosures.
Another argument that someone was interested in Butmalai's death, according to Ghelici, was that Butmalai together with other Liberal-Democrats requested an audit at the Ministry of the Interior.
Fiodor Ghelici added that he was worried about the future of Veaceslav Ionita, another former Liberal-Democrat MP, who publicly confronted the party's leader Vlad Filat and accused him of stealing money from Banca de Economii.
According to Fiodor Ghelici, there is an internal struggle going on in the Liberal-Democratic Party, with one faction supporting Vlad Filat and the other one promoting Iurie Leanca.
Ghelici said he was available to make statements for anyone willing to investigate Butmalai's death. He also announced that as a representative of an international organization, he would notify the entire international community about the state of affairs in Moldova.
