Anti-corruption squad yields details about BCC member's arrest

The Economic Crimes and Corruption Combating Center (ECCCC) has issued a communique yielding more details about the arrest of Valeriu Soltan, a member of the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC), Info-Prim Neo reports. The probe was started on the fact of passive corruption. “The investigation establishes that Valeriu Soltan, in complicity with other persons, would have extorted from the president of Radio Sanatate an amount of $13,000, not to create obstacles in the work of Radio Sanatate, by depriving it from its broadcasting license and to insure the protectionism on the part of the BCC members,” reads the ECCCC's communique. In the morning of June 12, Soltan was caught in the act when the manager of Radio Sanatate gave him $12,000. The money was handed in the house of Valeriu Soltan in Magdacesti village of Criuleni district, where a search was carried out. The ECCCC officers found the money marked 'mita CCCEC' (ECCCC bribe), the Center announces. Valeriu Soltan is now in the remand prison of the Center. Valeriu Soltan was held up for committing a similar infraction two years ago. In June 2007, the ECCCC detained and interrogated other BCC members suspected of corruption, but they were later released, without proving their guilt. The BCC members Ludmila Vasilache, Vlad Turcanu and Valeriu Soltan then sued the anti-corruption squad for marring their image. Later, Valeriu Soltan withdrew his complaint. Ludmila Vasilache and Vlad Turcanu insisted to go to the end and later in 2008, the Government paid, from the tax-payers' money, by 2,000 lei to Ludmila Vasilache, to her daughter, and to the former BCC member Vlad Turcanu. After the BCC's sitting on June 16, Ludmila Vasilache and the BCC chairman Gheorghe Gorincioi refrained from commenting on Soltan's custody, reasoning their statements could prejudice the inquest. “If this information is true, it's a regrettable fact,” said Gheorghe Gorincioi, who insisted the presumption of innocence shall not be forgotten, until a possible sentence is pronounced.