A part of the assets featured in the case of the ex-Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc started over money laundering were released. These include the 100% shareholding in “Bass Systems” SRL to the value of 2.9 million lei and over 125,000 lei owned in bank accounts, PAS MP Lilian Carp announced in a press briefing on April 23. According to him, the seized assets were released under an ordinance issued by anticorruption prosecutor Alexandru Cernei on February 17 this year.

The MP considers such a move will hamper the process of recovering the ill-gotten gains. “This is not accidental. It happens in a very interesting political context. After Dodon installed his own prosecutor, we see that instead of those involved in the coup attempt being held accountable, I refer to Plahotniuc and his gang, this is able to pave the way for his return home,” stated Lilian Carp, suggesting Vladimir Plahotniuc reached a relevant agreement with President Igor Dodon.

In a comment for IPN, the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office said that the 100% holding in “Bass Systems” SRL, namely 100% of the company’s share capital and over 50 million lei owned in accounts, was seized last October as part of the legal proceedings brought against Vladimir Plahotniuc over money laundering in considerable amounts, in the eventuality of the special confiscation of the ill-gotten gains.

Later, at the request of the manager of “Bass Systems” SRL, the share capital and some of the operational accounts were released so as to enable the company to work and to allow completing a transaction for the sale and purchase of shares with an Austrian investor, in accordance with the pre-contract agreed before the opening of the investigation.

The accounts of “Bass Systems” SRL with over 50 million lei in them remain seized. “The investigation goes on and a number of requests for international legal assistance were made. The next steps will be decided when the results arrive,” says the comment of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office.