Valeriu Pasat has been set free

The Court of Appeals on 9 July released the former minister of defence Valeriu Pasat, who was sentenced to ten years in jail over misappropriation and misconduct in office. One of the lawyers for Pasat, Gheorghe Amihalachioaie told Info-Prim Neo that the court examined the lawyers’ appeal and acquitted Pasat in the case of sale of warplanes MIG, but left in force the sentence of five years’ imprisonment in the second case, which fell under amnesty. The lawyer described the decision of the court as a first step towards the big victory. Pasat was set free in the courtroom at 11.00 after more than two years of detention. The former minister of defence was arrested on 11 March 2005 on suspicion he had embezzled funds by selling 21 warplanes MIG 29 in 1997. On 18 March, Valeriu Pasat was indicted. On 22 March, the General Prosecutor’s Office instituted another case against him over abuse of power committed by a person holding a responsible position. Pasat was also charged with carrying out a fraudulent transaction, selling combat reactive systems Uragan and rockets for them while being minister of defence. On 17 January 2006, the Centru District Court sentenced Pasat to ten years in jail. Later, the Court of Appeal acquitted him in the case of sale of warplanes. On 3 May, the Supreme Court of Justice quashed the decision of the Court of Appeals and left the decision of the Centru Court in force. At the same time, the Court of Appeals was obliged to reexamine the case. Russian and Moldovan politicians described the case of Pasat as political, given Pasat’s alleged involvement in the election campaign for the parliamentary elections of 2005 by supporting anticommunist political parties and leaders.