The stealing at Banca de Economii (BEM) began when the state lost the controlling interest in this bank, the chairman of the Party of Communists (PCRM) Vladimir Voronin said in the program “Fabrika” on Publika TV channel, IPN reports.

Voronin noted that in the period he was head of state, attempts were also made to acquire the state-owned shareholding in this bank. “They several times tried to buy the shares owned by the state in Banca de Economii, arguing that this bank should be privately owned. I opposed selling the state-owned shares in the BEM. After the state holding was sold, this large-scale theft became possible,” he said.

Vladimir Voronin also said the parliamentary commission didn’t manage to establish the exact sum that was stolen from the BEM and the persons involved in this scheme. “This is what we wanted to find out the most. But Parliament is not an investigation body. I know that the National Bank possess sophisticated technology and can trace any transaction. Thus, in the case of this bank’s functionaries, it is more professional negligence on their part. There are sophisticated systems and the stolen money can be tracked down,” he stated.

Asked why the commission’s report on the theft at the BEM was examined behind closed doors, the leader of the PCRM made reference to a similar case that happened in Bulgaria. “An MP in Bulgarian made public details and real panic arouse. This MP was later jailed. We could not allow panic to appear in society. The situation is already rather difficult,” he said.