The turnover at the three banks involved in the theft of the billion was “huge” during November 1-27, 2014, exactly after the moment when the state guarantees were granted. In a press conference held on August 22, Alexandru Slusari, the chairman of the Inquiry Committee looking into the bank fraud, said that the money circulating in the three banks during this period “definitely exceeded 1 billion euros”.
Alexandru Slusari said that Anatol Arapu, who was appointed finance minister in 2013, "just after the dispossession of the control package from state ownership in the three banks", showed up to be heard by the Commission on August 21. According to Alexandru Slusari, Anatol Arapu stated that he constantly notified the National Bank of Moldova of irregularities that occurred in the three banks.
"Mr. Arapu told us that in the summer of 2014, Unibank was already bankrupt. I asked why special state administration was not enforced in the spring or summer of 2014, before state guarantees were granted. Anatol Arapu answered that that was BNM's call, despite the IMF’s and the World Bank’s opposing views”, said the chairman of the Inquiry Committee.
According to Alexandru Slusari, everyone who was interviewed so far, especially Andrian Candu and former BNM governor Dorin Drăguțanu, claimed that Anatol Arapu was the one to delay the enforcement of the special administration of the three banks. "For his part, Anatol Arapu said that, first of all, he was against granting state guarantees and, secondly, he had reservations regarding how state guarantees were granted. Mr. Arapu shifted the responsibility”, said Alexandru Slusari.
The chairman added that the committee he heads considers interviewing the former Prime Minister Vlad Filat. Also, Alexandru Slusari renewed the subpoena for Natalia Politova-Cangași, former president of Victoriabank.
