The hearing in the case of former Prime Minister Vlad Filat scheduled for March 17 was put off because of the state of health of the accused. According to prosecutor Adriana Betisor, the defense presented a medical certificate showing that Vlad Filat is receiving medical treatment and thus could not come to the hearing, IPN reports.
Adraiana Betisor said the treatment was prescribed for ten days. However, the next hearing was set for March 22. If the accused feels well and wants to take part in the hearing, the examination of the case will go on.
As to lawyer Igor Popa’s statements about the fact that the accused never took bribe from Ilan Shor and the latter actually offered Filat some ‘poisonous’ presents, the prosecutor said this is very interesting ‘derailing’ from the object of the accusation towards what the former Premier and his lawyers are interested in the most. “These were goods offered to influence particular persons from the financial institution and public figures who had connection with the additional issue of shares at Banca de Economii,” stated Adriana Betisor.
She also said that Filat’s brother-in-law Ion Rusu is the main witness of the prosecution. This says it clearly who he received the money from Ilan Shor for and how this money was transferred from Banca de Economii.
According to the Department of Penitentiary Institutions, the accused related that when he wanted to take the litter out of the cell, he made an incorrect move and hit his head against the edge of a wooden door. Later, Vlad Filat was examined at the Neology and Neurosurgery Institute. The hospital’s director Grigore Zapuhlyh said the former Premier suffered a trauma, but this didn’t have serious consequences and the accused does not need to be hospitalized.
Vlad Filat was arrested on charges of influence peddling and passive corruption last October. He faces 7 to 15 years in jail and ban on holding public posts.
