At the plenary of the Parliament, the interim prosecutor general, Dumitru Robu, requested that the immunity of MPs Petru Jardan and Vladimir Cebotari be lifted in order to initiate criminal prosecution actions related to taking over the assets of Chisinau International Airport. To carry out investigations on this case, the prosecutors filed a series of criminal cases, in which several persons are concerned, including MPs Petru Jardan, Vladimir Cebotari, Ilan Șor, as well as others.
In a press release quoted by IPN, the General Prosecutor's Office mentioned that the investigation was aimed at the actions of a group of persons that included MP Petru Jardan. Between 2012-2014, holding the position of interim director of Chisinau International Airport, he reportedly committed abuse of office, by creating the necessary conditions for the concession of the Airport. Moreover, while he was a member of the Working Group for the development of the feasibility study of this public-private partnership, the MP allegedly acted in the interest of an organized criminal group and indicated conditions of concession to the detriment of the state. This also included keeping the modernization fee of nine euros per passenger on departure for the concessionaire as well as the need to select the concessionaire through a closed type of tender.
Since 2013, Vladimir Cebotari has held the position of Deputy Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure. Then he reportedly participated in organizing the simulation of the tender procedure, selectively informing some potential participants in the mentioned tender, even without knowing if they intended to do business in Moldova. Specifically, as a member of the tender commission for selecting the Airport assets concessionaire, he had sent invitations to companies proposed by Petru Jardan.
The Prosecutor's Office also mentions that by his vote at the Tender Commission, MP Vladimir Cebotari contributed to the illegal obtaining of financial assets in tremendous amounts by the organized criminal group. Moreover, he misused his powers held within public bodies, state-owned enterprises and decision-making boards. Namely, to include in the concession contract the collection of the modernization fee of nine euros per passenger on departure, for the exclusive benefit of Avia Invest.
Therefore, after signing the airport concession contract, in 2013, Petru Jardan became director of Avia Invest, and Ilan Șor became chairman of the Board of Directors. "In these new positions, they have "enjoyed" jointly with the MP Vladimir Cebotari and others, the benefits of the criminal scheme set up by them," the statement said.
