Depositors of Intercapital concern resume protests in downtown Chisinau

More than 60 depositors of the bankrupt financial concern Intercapital picketed the Parliament building on May 27, demanding that the authorities pay back their savings from the money obtained from selling public property, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the president of the civic association “Depositors and Bond Owners Robbed and Swindled by Intercapital”, Nestor Samofalov, the authorities intentionally postpone the payment of the deposits so as to eventually quash the case. “It is the blame of the State, especially of the State Securities Commission that allowed Intercapital to legalize documents worth 2 million lei at a time when it had a capital of only 100 lei,” protester Lidia Zabolotniuc said. The depositors of Intercapital expressed their indignation at the fact that President Vladimir Voronin did not answer the depositors’ appeal for help. Therefore, they decided to protest and are ready to fight until the end so as to get their money back. Intercapital went bankrupt in 1997. At that time, it had about 30 million lei deposits made by over 2,000 people. Later, these persons formed an association of cheated depositors. During 11 years, the about 2,000 depositors have been trying to get their money back. Out of these, 800 have died. The others are about 70 years old and the Government is waiting for all of them to die so as not to give their deposits back, Lidia Zabodotniuc said. According to the depositors, only 19.60% of the 30 million lei have been paid back until present. In 2002, the Buiucani District Court found the director of Intercapital, Vasile Caras, guilty of misappropriating money in large quantities and sentenced him to 25 years in jail in the absence of the offender. Caras, who was hiding in Romania, was arrested in late 2005.