The author of the armed attack on the Chisinau International Airport, which resulted in the death of a border police officer and an aviation security officer, is a former policeman. He worked for seven years in the bodies of the Ministry of the Interior of Tajikistan. He was fired for criminal behaviors and actions, the head of the General Police Inspectorate Viorel Cernăuțeanu told a news conference.

He noted that three employees of the Ministry of the Interior of Tajikistan are now in Moldova on a visit. They came to examine aspects related to the crime committed by the suspect in his country, where he is investigated for kidnapping and bandits attack. The counterparts from Tajikistan confirmed that the person is not a member of a terrorist group, but is an ordinary criminal. In 2013, he committed a similar crime in Tajikistan. He served his sentence, but was released before time.

Asked why the man wasn’t handcuffed, Viorel Cernăuțeanu said that when he reached Chisinau, it wasn’t known that he had committed a crime in his country. At that moment, he wasn’t in the database of wanted persons and this fact was confirmed by the employees of the Ministry of Interior of Tajikistan. He reportedly left his country to Uzbekistan, bypassing the state border, and then departed for Turkey and then left Istanbul for Chisinau. Over the past year, more than 5,000 persons haven’t been allowed to enter Moldova for different reasons. According to the procedure, these persons are sent back to the country from which they came and they are not handcuffed.

The attacker is in the hospital in an extremely serious state. An arrest warrant for 30 days was issued against him. A person who committed an especially serious or extremely serious offence in Moldova cannot be extradited and is to be tried in the country.

Viorel Cernăuțeanu also said that the persons who leaked videos of the airport incident will be held to account.

President Maia Sandu on Monday decreed a national day of mourning for July 4 to commemorate border police officer Sergey Muntean and aviation security officer Igor Ciofu, who died as a result of the tragic incident at the Chisinau International Airport on June 30.