Two inhabitants of Căușeni district are accused of intentionally damaging the protection levee at the side of the Nistru River in order to flood their crop fields situated in Ștefan Vodă district and get subsidies in compensation from the state.

According to the Ștefan Vodă Prosecutor’s Office, the two contracted a driver with a bulldozer-excavator, who damaged a part of the protection levee between Crocmaz and Tudora villages on July 7. The water from the Nistru flooded and inundated the farmland sowed with wheat that was affected by drought. The intention of the two was to receive compensations from the state for their losses.

Specialists estimated that by destroying the hydrotechnical construction that was designed to protect the farmland from floods, the state was caused damage of almost 1 million lei.

One of the men was placed under arrest for 15 days, while his accomplice is wanted. The two face up to six years in jail.

The mayor of Crocmaz village of Ștefan Vodă district Ion Veleshko has told IPN that the excavator traces were noticed by the local police officer who was inspecting the area. Representatives of Moldova’ Water Agency were called out to gauge the extent of damage. The mayor said he cannot explain the gesture as no one asked for subsidies from the local mayor’s office.