The Association for the Prevention and Combating of Economic Crime and Corruption says that damage of over 11 million lei was caused to the budget as a result of the illegal sale of irrigation pipes in Stefan-Voda district. The association’s leader Andrei Donica told a news conference that the pipes were to be earmarked for scrap metal, but were sold for current use, IPN reports.

According to Andrei Donica, the illegalities were committed by the Ministry of the Environment and its subordinate agencies. “The Ministry of the Environment controlled by the Liberal Party, its leader Mihai Ghimpu and less by Minister Gheorghe Salaru commits violations. Millions are stolen from the Ministry’s agency. The pipes laid during the Soviet period for irrigation are intentionally destroyed. They complain that we do not have irrigation equipment, but this is not true. These are well-planned schemes. They first sell the pipes and then ask for grants for irrigation from European countries,” said Andrei Donica.

He also said that the pipes in Stefan-Voda were put up for sale illegally. The information about the auction wasn’t published in the Official Gazette. The pipes were sold at the initial price, but, according to the regulations, the income must be plus 10% when only one bidder takes part in the auction. The pipes bought by the company for slightly over 2 million lei are now sold on the market for 13 million lei.

According to the Association for the Prevention and Combating of Economic Crime and Corruption, 50% of the pipes projected for irrigation were extracted. An agency from Chisinau carried out a study and established that 90% of the pipes can be used for another 30 years. The association intends to present the collected evidence to the National Anticorruption Center and the Security and Information Service.