The Deputy Mayor of Balti, Tatiana Dubitkaia, will be placed in preventive detention for 30 days, while Olga Iurcenco, the deputy head of the education department, will be investigated at liberty. This was the ruling of the Chișinău Court, Ciocana branch, where both officials from Balti were brought today, accused of allegedly accepting a €200,000 bribe, IPN reports.
Dubitkaia and Iurcenco requested to be heard without physical presence in the courtroom.
Olga Iurcenco’s lawyer stated that the prosecutor’s request was not accepted, meaning his client was released. However, the prosecutor noted that the decision is not final, and Iurcenco remains under investigation as a suspect.
In Tatiana Dubitkaia’s case, the prosecutor requested preventive arrest in prison, arguing that she might influence witnesses or commit other offenses. Another reason cited was to prevent the collection of exculpatory evidence, explained the prosecutor.
The prosecutor also stated that one of the accused cooperated with authorities and provided statements regarding the case.
Balti's Deputy Mayor pleads not guilty, according to her lawyer, Gheorghe Ionaș. He requested an alternative measure to detention in prison, such as house arrest. In this criminal case, Tatiana Dubitkaia has not given statements to the prosecution, as she considers the charges unclear.
After Monday’s searches conducted by the National Anticorruption Center (CNA) at Balti City Hall, Dubitkaia and Iurcenco were detained, being suspected of accepting a bribe exceeding €200,000.
Lawyer Gheorghe Ionaș claims that there is no evidence in the case file proving that the Deputy Mayor took this sum. Meanwhile, Iurcenco’s lawyer declined to comment on the matter.
A decision regarding the preventive arrest of Deputy Mayor Tatiana Dubitkaia is expected to be announced soon.
