The Moldovan Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals Recycling and Processing Association calls on the Superior Council of Prosecutors to order disciplinary proceedings against the prosecutor handling Metalferos Vladislav Căruceru, who is called “system bandit”. The Association filed a complaint to the Council, expressing his hope that this will be examined thoroughly so as to establish if the prosecutor acted legally.
In a news conference at IPN, the Association’s president Ion Drăniceru said that if the wrongdoings continue, they reserve the right to file complaints to the Parliament’s responsible commissions. By a public call, he asked for an audience with the President. “If the goal is to do justice, let’s really do reforms in the justice sector in this country,” he urged.
The members of the Moldovan Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals Recycling and Processing Association are accused of forming part of a criminal group that was created by the ex-Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc in 2009. The Association, which collects metals and sells them to the state-owned company “Metalferos”, is accused of falsifying procurement documents and of not declaring the real value of transactions, causing damage to the state budget this way. The Association’s administration denies any wrongdoing.
Ion Drăniceru said that on November 29, members of the Association had a meeting with the administration of the Prosecutor General’s Office centering on Metalferos case. They presented evidence showing that businessman Valentin Eșanu, the founder and beneficiary of the company Sofilarex, who is the main witness in the case, acts in complicity with Vladislav Căruceru, while the latter investigates the case as he wants, ignoring the evidence.
The members of the Association asked to appoint a new prosecutor for this case, who would be independent and professional, would examine the evidence in accordance with the law and would demand to hold those who are really to blame accountable. Ion Drăniceru said they are not heard for now and they are concerned that Vladislav Căruceru already started the procedure for sending the case to court and innocent people will have to stand trial. “We are used as scapegoats, while the investigation of those to blame was practically stopped,” he stated.
Ion Drăniceru also said that on Decembers 1, the prosecutor made an order by which he unilaterally set the timetable for presenting the materials of the case to the parties for these to examine them. Each of those involved and the lawyer were given by six days to familiarize themselves with 259 volumes of the file. “It is evident that the six-day period is insufficient for familiarizing oneself with the materials of the case,” stated Ion Drăniceru. The order was made on December 1, while at 8am on Decembers 2 the presentation of the materials started already. The periods for communicating the procedures are intentionally not respected.
