Proceedings started against AMN leader

The General Prosecutor's Office has started criminal proceedings against MP Serafim Urecheanu, the president of the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN), on charges of forging and making use of false official documents, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a press release, the Prosecutor's Office explains that the action has been initiated in connection with “an alleged letter sent by the President to the Prime Minister requesting the replacement of wood coffins by plastic ones”. The prosecutors have found that the letter in question wasn't formulated, devised or signed by the head of state, as no records of this document have been made neither in the presidential correspondence register nor in the Government's one, while its format doesn't correspond to the requirements implied by the presidency, the press release says. At Parliament's sitting on Thursday, November 20, Urecheanu read a letter which the President had allegedly sent to the Premier, requesting a ban on wood coffins. “In recent years the death rate has been rising, and this leads to increased costs for making wood coffins”, Urecheanu quoted. According to Urecheanu, President Voronin suggested that, instead, all the coffins should be made of plastic or plastic bags should be used as an alternative. Both the President's Office and the Government were quick to dismiss the letter as “false and injurious”. In retort, AMN issued a press release on Friday evening to label the reaction of the government as an “irrational panic” which has “taken possession of the Voronin clan”.