Lib-Dem leader remains a suspect amid parliamentary race

Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) leader Vlad Filat will continue to be a suspect in three criminal cases initiated last November, after the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office today issued an order to prolong his status as a suspect for three months more. In these three separate cases, Filat is suspected of cigarette smuggling, illicit privatization of a cement plant in Rezina, and illegal sale of civilian aircraft. Filat was summoned today to appear before the prosecutors, and after some 10 minutes of quizzing, Filat has told reporters he reiterates his conviction that the charges were trumped up “at Voronin's order”. “What happened today demonstrates the lack of any evidence and grounds for initiating these proceedings, because the procedure stipulates explicitly that after three months, either an indictment is issued or the charges are dropped”, he said, adding that “their actions will not stop me from pursuing the path I chose”. Alexandru Tanase, Filat's lawyer and also a vice president of the PLDM, said the fact that no formal indictment has been issued to charge Filat is an obvious proof of the political character of the prosecution. Prosecutor Alexandru Casir told reporters that Vlad Filat refused to sign the prolongation order. He said the reason for issuing that order was “the continuation of the criminal proceedings”. “If the evidence collected during three months is insufficient, the Criminal Procedure Code allows for the extension of this term”, Casir explained.