The police in October documented and suspended 97 Telegram groups where people were taught how to access the platform of the Russian bank Promsvyazbank (PSB) in order to receive transfers to corrupt voters in the Republic of Moldova, the head of the General Police Inspectorate Viorel Cernăuțeanu announced in a press briefing. He noted that a total sum of $39 million was transferred for this purpose in September-October, IPN reports.
According to Cernăuțeanu, before spring the PSB banking system in the Republic of Moldova was not active at all and connections reportedly started in April. In October, transfers of more than $24 million for corrupting voters were documented. "All these findings, special investigative measures, procedural actions are now being examined by colleagues from the Prosecutor's Office together with investigation officers. And certainly, in the shortest period of time, some of these procedural measures will be completed and will be transmitted to the court for subsequent actions,” said the head of the GPI.
He said that the old forms of ordinary corruption, through couriers and other people, exist until now, and gave an example that happened in a district in northern Moldova. "Following yesterday's searches carried out under the aegis of PCCOCS, a person who had a secondary role agreed to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies and provided pertinent information. The person who played the role of coordinator for the entire district had envelopes prepared for all 19 localities in the district and managed to distribute money to 36 people. Over 300 other people were to benefit from those amounts," said Cernăuțeanu.
The head of the GPI called on the citizens to work with the police in order to rationalize the risks of corruption and the corresponding consequences. "We will intervene whenever necessary so as not to allow corruption in the electoral system of the Republic of Moldova," noted Viorel Cernăuțeanu. Earlier, the authorities announced that over $15 million was transferred from the Russian Federation in September for corrupting voters in the context of the October 20 election and referendum.