Anticorruption officers carried out searches in Cahul in a case of electoral corruption. As a result, a party member was arrested on suspicion of having paid a number of people to choose the "No" option in the referendum last autumn. The person also allegedly had paid persons to vote in favor of a particular candidate in the presidential election, IPN reports.
Following complaints submitted to the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) by witnesses, who said that they received 2,500 lei each from the member of the political party, and following the criminal investigation measures taken, the person was classed as a suspect and objects from his home were seized to be examined.
Under the Criminal Code, the offering or giving of money, goods, services or other benefits in order to make a voter exercise or not to exercise their electoral rights in the parliamentary, presidential, local elections or in the referendum is punishable by a fine in the amount of 27,500 to 42,500 lei or by 1 to 5 years in prison. Persons who denounce illegal acts and cooperate with the criminal investigation body can be released from criminal or contravention liability.
So far, the NAC imposed fines of over 11 million lei in contravention cases of passive electoral corruption. Also, 10 criminal cases on electoral corruption were sent to court.