More than 60% of the criminal cases over corruption started this year are against public institution managers of different ranks. In the National Anticorruption Conference, National Anticorruption Center director Viorel Chetraru said that corruption is present in practically all the areas of activity, IPN reports.
“The cases that involve high-ranking officials caused sensations as the presence of such persons is something unusual. Many high-ranking officials were already sent to jail or are at the last stage of the trial, while society is waiting for a correct judgment of these cases,” said Viorel Chetraru.
He added that Moldova is regarded as a state that is seriously affected by corruption. The county is still far from having sufficiently efficient mechanisms for blocking acts of corruption at the intent stage. “We are yet to offer many examples to society as regards the punishment of those who commit acts of corruption,” stated Viorel Chetraru. He underlined that they do not aim to fill the prisons with functionaries, police officers or judges, but want corrupt individuals to stay away from the public system.
Attending the event, Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said that if the sources of corruption in all the institutions are not eliminated, the country’s modernization and European integration process will be endangered. “Time has come for much more insistent measures, with more coherence and important results. This way, we will be able to ensure a much more stable future. The people will never feel protected in a country dominated by corruption. They will not have decent living conditions, education, healthcare and appropriate incomes in a country where there is bribery and nepotism,” he stated.
Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said that many changes took place in Moldova over the last 20 years, but they not always led to transparent democracy. Corruption must be fought so that the Association Agreement initialed in Vilnius can be implemented. Political will is needed for rooting out corruption as at high level it causes enormous damage to the country.
The conference was organized by the National Anticorruption Center on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day that was instituted by the United Nations’ Resolution of December 9, 2003. About 400 cases over corruption have been started in Moldova this year so far.
