Update: Nineteen persons were placed under arrest for 72 hours following this morning’s searches. Among those arrested are three mayors, the accountant of a mayor’s office, secondary school directors and a lyceum vice director as well as chiefs and employees of nine companies. These are suspected of organizing, by co-participation, dubious tender contests within investment projects with the aim of favoring particular business entities.

There were started 12 criminal cases over passive corruption, influence peddling, misuse of power and abuse of authority. The arrested persons face up to 15 years in prison.

The arrested include: mayor of Cimiseni village of Criuleni district; mayor of Chioselia Mare commune of Cahul; mayor of Corlateni, Rascani; chief accountant of Rasani mayor’s office; director of the secondary school “Alexandrina Rusu” of Danceni, Ialoveni; director of the secondary school “M. Viteazul”, Straseni, who is also councilor on the Straseni District Council; director of the primary school of Baurci, Ceadar-Lunga; director of the secondary school of Bocani, Falesti, director of the secondary school of Hasnasenii Mari, Drochia; vice director (ex-director) of the theoretical lyceum “D. Cantemir”, Rascani; directors of companies and two employees (engineers).
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Officers of the National Anticorruption Center and anticorruption prosecutors are carrying out searches all over the country within a case of corruption that involves functionaries, mayors and business entities.

The Center’s press officer Angela Starinski has told IPN that the case concerns tender contest rigging and favoring of business entities. The operation started early in the morning and features functionaries of the Energy Efficiency Fund.