The founder of the Accent Group Holding Vladimir Russu said that he is the victim of a raider attack. By a decision taken by the Ciocana branch of the Chisinau City Court, his private properties were transferred for use to Veaceslav Platon or the companies owned by this, one of which is mentioned in the Kroll Report.
The businessman said that helped by judges and prosecutors, Platon appropriated, by raider attack, two buildings from SRL “SCM Development Mol”, which belongs to him. This is the “Fashion House” situated at 182 Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Blvd and the former ASITO Building situated at 57/1 Mitropolit Bănulescu-Bodoni St.
In a news conference at IPN, Vladimir Russu said that he and his company didn’t talk much to the press and didn’t make many statements. This led to all kinds of interpretations, including about the scandal concerning the so-called “white house” that belonged to his family. The real situation was distorted, his business being affected. Moreover, owing to the lack of information, the simple sale and purchase procedure was incorrectly covered by the press. As a result, he was presented as “the man of Plahotniuc” or “the man with Plahotniuc’s money”. This enabled those with experience in raider attacks to take such actions in relation to him.
The company was founded in August 1991 and the only business partner was his mother. The company implemented different projects to develop the Republic of Moldova. They started also other businesses and erected large buildings, purchasing others. Among these were the two aforementioned buildings that were bought for €6 million and later they invested another €3 million. After they were reconstructed, these buildings became models that yield profit.
The company’s jurist recently asked for a document from the cadastral service and it became known that both of the buildings were confiscated and transferred for use to “Interprimcolect”, which forms part of the Shor group, according to the Kroll 2 Report, or the private individual Veaceslav Platon. Those developments happened in October-November, but became known much later accidentally.
“We call on the superior bodies – the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Security and Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Superior Council of Magistracy - to make use of the legal instruments to stop this serious offense. We also ask the senior authorities of the Republic of Moldova – the presidential administration, Parliament and the Government - and also the embassies and international organizations working in Chisinau to take attitude to this act of injustice and to condemn this evident theft,” stated Vladimir Russu.
Lawyer Sergiu Istrati said the decision to dispossess his client of buildings was adopted by judge Maria Tertea, of the Ciocana branch of the Chisinau City Court, who was arrested three days ago for other acts of corruption. The ordinance was signed by prosecutor delegated to the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases Mihai Nicolai. The given institution refuses to offer access to the materials of the case even if it is obliged to do this unconditionally. These actions to transfer for use a building (with offices) to other persons than to the owner are evidently illegal and run counter to the provisions of the Penal Procedure Code.
According to the lawyers, the lack of action on the part of the responsible bodies will lead to a new conviction of Moldova by the ECHR. “We notified all responsible bodies of this case so that they elucidate the situation and we hope that the law will ultimately triumph and the case will be solved positively,” said the businessman’s lawyer.