Representatives of the Moldovan Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals Recycling and Processing Association, who are featured in Metalfero case, said there was no monopoly on the metals market of Moldova ever. They demand that all the criminal proceedings against members of the Association should be stopped.
The Association that collects iron and supplies it to the state-owned enterprise “Metalferos” is accused of falsifying purchase documents to hide the real value of transitions and of causing damage to the state budget this way. The Association’s administration denies any wrongdoing.
In a news conference at IPN, the Association’s president Ion Drăniceru said the monopoly, which was absent on this market, should not be mixed up with the Government decision that imposed particular conditions on business entities that want to export metal abroad. “Not to sell iron to the Râbnița metallurgical plant or the state-run company “Metalferos”, but to export. At that moment, we weren’t interested in the export of metal as our Association had a good price and advantageous contracts with “Metalferos”. I reiterate that monopoly never existed,” stated Ion Drăniceru.
He accuses the prosecutor in charge of the case of pressing persons who collect iron to make statements about the supplied iron. “Let’s presume that we falsified purchase documents. What is the connection with the misappropriations at Metalferos? We paid money from our account,” said the Association’s president. According to him, nobody wants to investigate the deeds and the leaks of information about this case.
Ion Drăniceru noted the so-called witness in this case delivered iron to “Metalferos” at the same price, but he is not investigated and is not charged. They wonder how a businessman during a year could increase his revenues from 170,000 lei to 13 million lei. “How can this person work unrestrictedly, open iron collection points right by the side of national roads, earn money and face no problems? He worked in the same period as we did and supplied iron to “Metalferos at the same price as we did, but he is not accused,” said Ion Drăniceru.
