The prosecutor in the “ambulances case”, Alexandru Bernaz, has asked in his pleading in Chisinau’s Centru District Court for 9 years of detention for former Chisinau mayor Serafim Urecheanu, the leader of the largest opposition party “Moldova Noastra Alliance”, Info-Prim Neo reports. In the beginning of the court on Friday, April 25, the head jury, Constantin Uratu, announced that the representative of the City Hall would not attend the trial and asked the sides to enter their pleas. Prosecutor Alexandru Bernaz has said the sitting is impossible without the City Hall’s representative, but the lawyer, Vasile Rahlea, citing the City Hall’s request on giving up claims before Urecheanu, has opined the sitting can take place. The barrister described the prosecutor’s reasons as groundless delay of the trial started on September 1, 2004. The prosecutor has read out his plea during one and half hours. Bernaz has accused the ex-mayor of power abuse resulting in public damages. He has accused that Urecheanu had not negotiated a lower price in buying those 40 ambulances from a company called Rumeon. According to the prosecutor, as there was no calamity, or epidemic, there was no urgent need to buy the vehicles. Alexandru Bernaz has said the cars had one price when passed through the customs, as Rumeon later sold them at a higher price. It took minutes for the prosecutor to talk about how a mayor should behave and what his moral duties are before his voters. He has also said the trial is not a political order, as it is believed. The prosecutor severely criticized the writ of the Supreme Court of Justice of 17 May, 2006, which released Urecheanu from criminal probe, maintaining the court neglected the multitude of evidence about committing the infraction. In his turn, lawyer Vasile Rahlea has said Serafim Urecheanu is absolutely innocent and demanded to release him from penal inquest, as it has no evidence to prove he had brought damages of 3 million lei to the municipal budget. On the contrary, through his agreement with the Rumeon manager, the ambulances were bought not in leasing, but in installments, thus saving more than 4 million lei. The fact, that Rumeon agreed to get the money in installments, proves there were negotiations, says the lawyer. According to him, all the Communist councilors confirmed in the court they had entitled the mayor to buy 40 ambulances. Vasile Rahlea has said the prosecutor referred to witnesses in other trials in his plea, what is illegal, and that the investigators committed a number of irregularities, what is confirmed by the statements of the former Anti-Corruption investigator Grigore Gorea. Rahlea has reiterated the accusation is biased and based on political reasons. The Centru Court continues to hear the case upon the prosecutors’ insistence, ignoring the Supreme Court’s decision of May 17, 2006, which confirmed the severe violation of penal procedures by investigators and canceled all the documents the accusation based on, demanding to end the criminal proceedings against Serafim Urecheanu. The judges decided to adjourn until May 12 when Serafim Urecheanu is to plead.