Intelligence data collected during April events 'were erased'

Investigations conducted by the current administration of the Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) didn't produce evidence in support of the allegation that the events of April 2009 were a coup attempt, it was said in a statement from SIS, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The statement came in response to recent allegations made by a number of former officials during prosecutorial probes into the April events. According to the statement, Artur Reshetnikov, the former SIS director, gave instructions to erase a great part of the intelligence data collected during the April disturbances. These circumstances complicate the investigation. The SIS administration denies categorically the accusation that it hides information that could shed light on the disturbances and reiterates its willingness to further cooperate with the Prosecutor General's Office and the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission to contribute to elucidating the causes and the effects of the April events. Ex-SIS director Artur Reshetnikov told reporters on Wednesday, February 3, the April events were a coup attempt and also an attempt to assassinate Vladimir Voronin, the then president. Councilman Oleg Cernei, heard by the prosecutors on February 4, had another version. He said the then communist government took advantage of the peaceful protests to provoke disturbances with the purpose of bringing the opposition into disrepute.