The National Integrity Authority (NIA) issued an ascertaining document concerning the mayor of Sângera town of the municipality of Chisinau over the violation of the legal regime of conflicts of interest. In January 2020, the mayor signed with himself, as a private individual, a contract for the rental of the own car for officials purposes even if the mayor’s office already had a car used for such purposes.

In a press release, the NIA says that even if the car was leased out free of charge, financial resources for purchasing fuel were allocated from the local budget in February-June 2020, in monthly quantities that varied between 127 and 187 liters. The actions were confirmed by documents where the fuel was classed as ‘losses’, which were obtained by the inspector during the examination. The mayor didn’t declare the conflict of interest so that the integrity inspectors could take a decision in this case.

Contacted by IPN for a comment, the mayor of Sângera Valeriu Popa said he will challenge in court the NIA’s ascertaining document. About half of the mayors in Moldova use the own cars for official purposes, but sign the contract not with themselves, but with other persons, by power of attorney. After he used his own car for official purposes gratis, the mayor’s office saved public funds as it didn’t have to rent another car.

Valeriu Popa confirmed that the Sângera mayor’s office has a car, but this is used by the deputy mayor and social assistants and, to solve locals’ problems, they need at last two cars. The Sângera mayor’s office manages three localities – Sângera, Dobrogea and Revaca whose total population is of over 14,000. The Sângera mayor’s office is implementing a number of projects and he used the own car for official purposes, for field trips, for trips to the Moldova Social Investment Fund, the National Ecological Fund, the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture and to other mayor’s offices.

The ascertaining document can be disputed in an administrative court. The NIA warns that if its document remains final after it is challenged, it will notify the responsible authority so that this initiates the dismissal of the mayor. The mayor risks being banned from holding public posts, including of mayor, for a three-year period.