The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) said the meeting of deputy prosecutor general Ruslan Popov with ex-prosecutor Boris Lupașcu was accidental. The meeting occurred in a public place, at a filling station in Chisinau, on April 25, and the two communicated while they drank coffee. The details were provided amid the videos disseminated by the media, which aroused controversy in the public sphere, IPN reports.
According to the PGO, the two have known each other for many years as they worked together in the prosecution service. “There were no limitative communication bans on the two. At that moment, Boris Lupașcu wasn’t part of any procedures pending at the PGO (petition, criminal proceedings or criminal case).”
The PGO said the application filed by PAS MPs Sergiu Litvinenco and Virgiliu Pâslariuc, by which the two asked to investigate the presupposed acts of usurpation of state power and to hold those to blame accountable ,was received on April 26 and it was ordered to examine this case as a matter of urgency.
On April 23, the MPs of the Party of Socialists and the For Moldova platform revoked the Parliament’s decision by which Domnica Manole was appointed CC judge and adopted another decision to name Boris Lupașcu in her place. In the morning of April 27, the Parliament’s Secretariat received Boris Lupașcu’s application by which this announced his decision to renounce the seat entrusted to him. The same day, the Constitutional Court suspended the two aforementioned Parliament decisions.
Also on April 27, the press disseminated the videos with Popov and Lupașcu, while PAS MP Sergiu Litvinenco came with a reaction. “Popov denied having met with Lupașcu and he thus lied. But he actually discussed with Lupașcu for about 40 minutes. What could the criminal prosecution head discuss with a person who is liable to investigation during 40 minutes? This anarchy should stop, while deputy prosecutor general Ruslan Popov should tender his resignation or should be dismissed,” stated the MP.
As to the PGO’s reaction to the meeting between Popov and Lupașcu, Litvinenco said that this is a very uninspired excuse as the meeting took place on April 25, after the filed application became known, and any reference as to its receiving on Monday, April 26, is very awkward. The deputy prosecutor general should tender his resignation and should provide public explanations as to the discussed subject. By such a press release, the PGO’s credibility can no way improve.
