Two Transnistrian generals – the former leader of the so-called KGB Vladimir Antiufeev and the current Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselski – for about ten years have been able to dodge international criminal prosecution, being wanted by Moldova for abuse of power, malfeasance or obstruction of the right to vote on the left bank of the Nistru, according to a journalistic investigation titled "Generals without borders" and published by RISE Moldova. The investigation says that Vladimir Antiufeev, who has been wanted since 2004, has officially moved over the Ukrainian border as a Russian citizen, including in cars with registration numbers of the Russian Embassy in Moldova. The current leader of Transnistria Vadim Krasnoselski, placed by Moldova on international wanted lists from 2007 to 2015, crossed the border into Ukraine almost every month using either a Russian or a Ukrainian passport.

In the event of early parliamentary elections conducted on party lists, the Party of Socialists would win with 48 seats. The Party of Action and Solidarity would get 34 MPs, and the Dignity and Truth Platform Political Party would get 10. The Democratic Party would get nine seats. The data are contained in the Electoral Barometer - July 2019, presented on Wednesday by the company Date Inteligente SRL (iData). The barometer shows that 36.6% of the respondents consider that the main development vector of the Republic of Moldova must be Pro-European Union, 30% think it must be Pro-Moldova, and 15.6% think it must be Pro-Russia. Over 9% of the respondents were for unification with Romania.

The Supreme Court of Justice rejected the appeal filed by the lawyers for Ilan Shor, upholding the ruling of the Cahul Court of Appeals declaring Ilan Shor a fugitive from justice. Addressing a crowd of supporters outside the Supreme Court, Shor Party vice president Marina Tauber declared the decision was a sign that “dictatorship is setting in in Moldova” and that the party would complain to international organizations. Ilan Shor addressed the crowd via a video call. “Today’s decision of the CSJ judges came on the orders of, and following direct pressure from Prime Minister Maia Sandu and President Igor Dodon,” said Shor from an unknown location.

Former MP Veaceslav Platon, who was sentenced to 30 years in jail in two criminal cases, said the general bank fraud scheme was designed by current MP Ilan Shor and Sergei Yaralov, the ‘confidence man’ of the former Democratic leader Vladimir Plahotniuc. According to him, Sergiu Albot, who served as president of the Administration Board of Banca Sociala and vice president of Unibank, was responsible for bank equipment, accounts and transfers. The legislative amendments that were needed for the Government to provide state guarantees to the National Bank were ensured by former Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu.

Shor Party’s Maria Albot formally announced she was giving up her MP seat. Next in line on the party list to replace Albot is Inga Vinnik, economist at the duty-free company DFM. Recently, Maria Albot’s name was mentioned by the former financier Veaceslav Platon, now sentenced to 30 years in prison for fraud, in revelations made for TV8’s flagship talk-show “Politica Nataliei Morari”. In the 2014 bank fraud orchestrated by Ilan Shor and Sergey Yaralov –  claims Platon – Maria Albot’s husband Sergiu Albot, then president of Banca Sociala, was allegedly in charge of “technical aspects” of the operations. 

The parliamentary inquiry commission investigating the bank fraud will visit the former financier Veaceslav Platon in Prison No. 13 to hear his testimony. The commission’s chairman Alexandru Slusari announced that in the following days more important information is awaited from different persons, including from abroad, regarding the fraudulent 2011-2014 transactions. On Tuesday, the Commission heard Andrian Candu, former Speaker of Parliament and former Minister of Economy. The parliamentarian also said that he recently received the confirmation that in June 2013-December 2013, when the additional issue of shares was produced at the Banca de Economii, the adviser to the Ministry of Economy was Sergei Iaralov (who is said to be Vlad Plahotniuc's right hand). The Commission has received an internal correspondence confirming that all actions related to Banca de Economii were coordinated with Sergei Iaralov.

The "Consumer Protection" National Public Association, active for more than 15 years, asks the country's leadership to respect consumers‘ rights. Members of the organization said that since the change of government, consumers have been breathing easier, as there has been hope of improving things. They also announced the possibility of creating a political party.

Parliament decided to cancel the mixed electoral system and return to the proportional one. The bill, passed in the second reading, provides for the reduction of the electoral threshold for both parties and electoral blocs. Integrity certificates will also be removed. Parliament has also reintroduced the rule prohibiting electoral campaigning on election day and the day before. This provision does not refer to information that has already been posted on the internet or on posters previously displayed. The Moldovan citizens from abroad will be able to vote using expired passports. The bill is to be passed in final reading in an extraordinary session of the legislative body.

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