The parliamentary group of the DA Platform (PPPDA), ACUM Bloc, requests to constitute a commission of inquiry for elucidating all the circumstances that led to the laundering of the money of the Russia mafia through Moldovan banks. A draft decision to this effect was presented by MP Inga Grigoriu in a news conference, IPN reports.
Inga Grigoriu said that this subject dates from 2010-2014 and affected Moldova’s image abroad. Also, this Laundromat generated a chain of unfavorable events whose effects continue to be felt. “Regrettably, the Republic of Moldova was put on the list of states that are monitored by international institutions as it allowed tens of millions of U.S. dollars coming from the underground economy of the Russian Federation to be laundered through its judicial and banking systems,” noted the MP.
According to her, the courts of law and the bailiffs involved in these transactions played a decisive role in the money laundering scheme. “Judges’ decisions had the role of legalizing ill-gotten gains and these overnight became legal,” said Inga Grigoriu, noting that illegalities were committed to ensure the smooth implementation of this scheme. Legislative changes were even made and the ceiling on the state tax for the examination of patrimonial disputes in court was removed.
“We ascertain that the lack of action in investigating the Laundromat and in preventing the laundering of ill-gotten gains is also due to the perpetuation of a dense network of corrupt individuals interested in these criminal transactions,” stated the MP, noting that everything was possible owing to decisive influence of the political factor on the inquiry.
“The current parliamentary majority, if it wants to show that it is really interested in the fight against corruption and in the eradication of the fraudulent schemes that had a very negative impact on the image of the Republic of Moldova, weakened its financial-banking system and allowed criminal groups to fully control the justice system, is obliged to vote in favor of creating this commission.”
Earlier, the WatchDog. MD community published a study showing that about US$70 billion from Russian banks were laundered through Moldovan courts and banks in 2010-2014, using illegal court judgments on false debts. The “cleaned” funds were transferred to a group of offshore companies that have accounts in Western banks.
