The governor of the National Bank of Moldova Dorin Dragutanu tendered his resignation. In a news conference on September 21, he said that vice governor Marin Molosag resigns together with him, IPN reports.
Dorin Dragutanu said he was surprised to find out from Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet that the price asked by Kroll for performing the second part of the investigation into the theft committed at Banca de Economii (BEM) is too high. “How can they say that the price is too high when the negotiations aren’t yet over? The company has its own price policy. Kroll didn’t withdraw and will submit constructive proposals for continuing the investigation. It’s easy to accuse now the National Bank when you have media sources, to avoid saying how the National Bank was pressured into not interfering with the BEM”, he stated.
As to the theft of money from the BEM, Dragutanu said the perception that the billion was stolen in 2013-2014 or even in November 2014 was created artificially as the stealing began long before 2009 and after 2009, when the bank was under state control. “The central bank is attacked with the aim of diverting attention from those who stole and of finding a scapegoat so that they remain with the money and with no blame,” he stated, underlining that the resignation of the National Bank’s administration will not solve the problems faced by the BEM. “Some wanted this resignation namely for hiding particular traces.”
Dorin Dragutanu noted he personally asked that the International Monetary Fund should assess the activity of the National Bank. “I say it sincerely that I’m tranquil. I know that independent experts will elucidate what the National Bank’s instruments were and how the political class, including Parliament, interfered in its activity,” he said.
The governor stated that the National Bank’s image was affected, but the institution is stable, from functional viewpoint, and has sufficient mechanisms to keep the situation under control. “I think that we coped with the pressure exerted by the politicians and it’s now time for them to assume responsibility. Today, together with Marin Molosag, we submitted our resignations to the Head of Parliament. We are to hold the posts on an interim basis for three months. Meanwhile, Parliament is to appoint new managers. We are ready to leave tomorrow if the government has practiced people who are ready to replace us,” said Dorin Dragutanu.
