Four banks subject to raider attacks

Four banks in Moldova - Moldova Agroindbank, Banca de Economii, Victoriabank and Universalbank - have been subjected to raider attacks, Prime Minister Vlad Filat told a news conference on September 5, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. “On July 28, a group of European investors was illegally deprived of 27.5% of the shares owned in Agroindbank. The holding was transferred to companies in offshore areas as a result of a fake trial held in Saint Petersburg,” said Vlad Filat. According to him, attempts were also made to appropriate 78.61% of shares in Universalbank, 16.4% of shares in Banca de Economii, and 5% of shares in Victoriabank. The Premier said that after the consultations he had with the partners from the Alliance for European Integration, the Government, by assuming responsibility before the Parliament, adopted a bill that reduces the appearance of such risks in the future and removes a number of shortcomings omitted in the process of reforming the legal system. “The attacks were not aimed at affecting the banks’ functionality, but at appropriating a number of shares. Some of the institutions reacted promptly, while others were slow to act and allowed thus the situation to worsen. The competent bodies must identify those behind the attacks. It is evident that they weren’t simply attacks on banks, but also attempts to undermine state institutions,” said the Premier. He also said that in the period he had separate meetings with heads of the institutions dealing with this case and with Slovenian shareholders who became victims of this attack and representatives of the Slovenian Government. “I invited the Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Dirk Schuebel and the charge d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy Marcus Micheli to the latest meeting of the Committee on Financial Stability. I had meetings with the EU Ambassadors working in Chisinau and the representatives of the U.S. Embassy, with whom I discussed this case,” said the Premier. The most important measures taken by the Government provide that: a part of the capital of any bank can be transferred only with the preliminary consent of the National Bank; the right of ownership over securities can be transferred only when the court decision is irrevocable; the Ministry of Justice must be obligatorily informed by courts about the hearings where applications to recognize foreign arbitrary and judicial decisions are to be examined; the bailiffs who break the law will be punished by being deprived of license.