The Buiucani Court on April 21 rejected the request of the Liberal-Democratic MPs to release ex-Premier Vlad Filat from custodial remand and place him under house arrest under their guarantee. Also today, the court extended the remand detention of Vlad Filat for another 30 days and is yet to pronounce on the defense’s request to make the hearings public, IPN reports.
State prosecutor Adriana Betisor said the ex-Premier’s lawyer announced in court he cannot make sure that the witnesses will present themselves at the hearing, but provided no evidence in this regard. He also asked for the hearing to be adjourned for a period of two weeks without offering clear reasons. “Igor Popa said he has personal needs to leave Moldova. However, in accordance with the Penal Procedure Code, when a person is in remand detention, the case is examined as a matter of urgency,” she stated.
Igor Popa said the application filed by a group of famous persons from Moldova wasn’t sufficient as a guarantee for setting Vlad Filat free and this points to injustice in the case of the ex-Premier. “These requests were groundlessly rejected. Even if the law provides that a sum of money needs to be deposited in the account of the court for ensuring the personal guarantee, we think that the value of these people of art was more than enough and the money wasn’t necessary,” he stated.
As to the adjournment of the hearing, the lawyer said that he needs several weeks to bring evidence showing that Vlad Filat is innocent before the judges. He noted he will challenge the decision of the Buiucani Court to extend the remand detention at the Appeals Court.
