Gheorghe Papuc is back as Interior Minister

President Vladimir Voronin appoints Gheorghe Papuc as Minister of Interior, Info-Prim Neo has learnt from the presidential press unit. The position has been vacant after President Voronin had appointed former Interior Minister Valentin Mejinschi as a vice premier responsible for countering curroption and trafficking in humans. Gheorghe Papuc was a top officer in the Interior Ministry from 1992 to 1997. In 2002 was appointed as Interior Minister by President Voronin. On March 31, 2008, the last day of the Tarlev Cabinet, Interior Minister Gheorghe Papuc was arrested at his domicile, under suspicion of being involved in drugs smuggling, according to the news agencies Novy Region and Interfax. A week later, the police announced about the biggest catch of drugs in Moldova's history: 200 kg of heroin, worth 10 million euros, smuggled from Afghanstan to western Europe. Gheorghe Papuc was not confirmed in his position in the new Cabinet of Zinaida Greceanai. From 1997 present, Gheorghe Papuc has been accused in Moldovan media of offenses and immoral activities. In 2000 he was penally searched as the inquest has not been ended up to now. According to media reports in 2005, Minister Papuc got his higher education diploma by corruption and the document is faked. Minister Papuc has never showed his diploma to media and has always declined to comment on it. Another scandal burst immediately after October 9, 2006, when police major Constantin Domnisor and his family were targeted to be assassinated as a grenade exploded in their house. Domnisor claims the attempt would have been organized after he uncovered illegalities allegedly committed by the Interior Minister in distributing apartments to officers. After the major insisted to be given an apartment, he later found that his apartment was registered to another person. The major he was threatened namely by the Interior Minister Gheorghe Papuc. Gheorghe Papuc is married and has three children.