Minister of Justice Fadei Nagachevski said that by the first judgment passed by the Ciocana branch of the Chisinau City Court on July 30, 2019, the prison term of Vlad Filat was reduced for inhuman and degrading detention conditions. The second ruling was given by the same court on October 12 this year and the prison term was cut again for inhuman conditions. In a month, on November 12, when the Sandu Government was removed, the acting head of Penitentiary No. 12 made an approach to court, asking to release the ex-Premier on parole, IPN reports.

After the meeting of the Supreme Security Council, the minister said that Vlad Filat didn’t serve two thirds of the punishment, as it was stipulated in the request filed by the acting head of the penitentiary. “I remind you that Mister Filat was sentenced to nine years in jail. He was held for about four years and the chief of Penitentiary No. 13 decided that he served more than two thirds of the nine-year sentence. So, it is simple math and I don’t know how they calculated two thirds. But we will clarify this issue,” stated Fadei Nagachevski.

He also said that the jail chief’s request was based on proceedings issued by a commission that examines such cases and takes decisions. He analyzed the composition of the commission and ascertained that the members of this were replaced on August 19, August 21 and September 13, 2019. “I don’t want to say that everything was done intentionally, but there are many suspicions here,” stated the minister.

Fadei Nagachevski noted a number of changes at the institutions managed by the Ministry of Justice will be made today, including firings.

President Igor Dodon also made reference to the issue, saying the release of Vlad Filat was prepared by the former government. “There are serious doubts as to the legality of this decision,” he stated, noting this can be challenged.