The Supreme Court of Justice declared as inadmissible the appeals filed by the lawyers for ex-Premier Vlad Filat as evidently groundless. The judgment was passed on February 22, while the motivated part will be presented on March 23, IPN reports.

Contacted by IPN, lawyer Igor Popa said a reaction will be made public later.

At the beginning of January, Vlad Filat’s lawyers challenged the sentences pronounced by the Chisinau Appeals Court and the Buiucani Court, whereby the ex-Premier was given nine years behind bars, in the Supreme Court of Justice.

Vlad Filat was arrested after businessman Ilan Shor made self-denouncing statements, saying he offered money, goods and services to the value of US$250 million to Filat, when this held office as Prime Minister, in favor of governmental favors. By the decision of the Buiucani Court of June 27, Vlad Filat was sentenced to nine years in jail and fined 60,000 lei. A part of his property, worth 791 million lei, was confiscated. Vlad Filat pleaded not guilty.