Former Prime Minister Vlad Filat was interviewed on Friday, August 30, in the Penitentiary no. 13, by members of the Inquiry Committee to elucidate the circumstances of the devaluation of the banking system and the investigation of bank fraud. According to the chairman of the committee, Alexandru Slusari, the discussion was useful, yet did it not bring to light anything new regarding the Banca de Economii shares acquisition of 2013.
"An important question remains unanswered: Who bought the Banca de Economii shares in 2013 from Platon? Did Şor do this or did Plahotniuc stand behind him? Where did the money come from? Unfortunately, Mr. Filat did not bring to light anything new on this subject”, Alexandru Slusari told the press after the hearing.
Alexandru Slusari says that the ex-prime minister, Vlad Filat, exhibits remorse that he did not thoroughly act in regard to the raider attacks of 2011-2012, when BEM shares were fraudulently appropriated. "It was a time of crisis when the Plahotniuc-Platon group appropriated these shares with the intention of taking over control of the BEM. Filat fought for a while, but eventually gave up and regrets it. I do not know how sincere these regrets are, we are not specialists in psychology, yet we have taken note of his remorse”, said the chairman of the committee.
According to Vlad Filat, the Reidman Commission report is crucial for the understanding of the 2013 events. Vlad Filat insists, on behalf of himself and his PLDM colleagues who participated in this commission, that they did not know about that additional share issuance that was stipulated in the final draft of the commission report, due to which the state lost control over the BEM. Filat believes that former Prime Minister Iurie Leancă, former Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazăr, former Governor Dorin Drăguțanu, and Andrian Candu, who he also held the position of minister of economy, should be held accountable for all action and inaction over the 2013 - 2014 period.
The Inquiry Committee chairman added that Vlad Filat made a statement which he personally does not believe, namely that Filat did not know that the beneficiary of the additional share issuance is Ilan Șor. According to the MP, in 2013-2014, it was absolutely clear who the beneficiary was. The companies that benefited from the additional share issuance legally belonged to Șor. However, it is not clear whether the real beneficiary is Ilan Șor or Vlad Plahotniuc.
"In general, I can say that the Committee has already reached several conclusions regarding the whole series of events starting with 2011. Two unsolved problems remain. First, we need to elucidate the circumstances of the shares acquisition in 2013. How was Şor able to buy these shares with ten million dollars, when all Chisinau knew that he was indebted? Additionally, we need to identify if he was the final beneficiary of these shares or if someone else was behind it. The only man that could possibly be behind it is Vlad Plahotniuc. Secondly, we need to have the final list of beneficiaries that are involved in the second Kroll dossier. Upon solving these two issues, we will prepare a report for the Parliament”, stated Alexandru Slusari.
He hopes that the final report will be published immediately after it is presented to Parliament, at the beginning of October.
