The mayor of Soldanesti, Vadim Groza, along with other local public administration employees, is under investigation for multiple instances of passive corruption. The suspects are being investigated while remaining at liberty, IPN reports.

According to the National Anticorruption Center (CNA) and prosecutors in Balti, Mayor Vadim Groza, the municipality’s accountant, and other members of the procurement commission allegedly favored certain economic agents during public tenders organized by the municipality for local development projects. They are also accused of embezzling 10% of the value of the public procurement contracts.

Today, Mayor Vadim Groza held a press conference alongside Grigore Novac, a deputy from the Bloc of Communists and Socialists, to allege that mayors who refuse to join the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) are subjected to abuses and pressure. Groza described what he called abusive searches conducted by the CNA at his home, office, service car, and even his sister's home, a day before Soldanesti’s town celebration. He stated that the reason cited for the searches was a supposed involvement in a corruption case related to a 2022 tender, which was awarded to a favorable bid. The mayor emphasized that this action is merely an act of intimidation resulting from his refusal to join PAS.