Ex-Premier Vlad Filat said the court ruling to set him free on parole was perfectly legal. The distorted reports and the statements about his obscure release are speculations. The procedure that ended on December 3 actually started in April 2019 and three Governments served in the meantime.
In a news conference at IPN, Vlad Filat said the procedure started when the post of Prime Minister was held by Pavel Filip and the first decision to reduce his prison term by over 600 days was passed at the end of July. In that period, premiership was held by Maia Sandu. One more application was filed later. “As a result of this application, the court of law passed a new judgment, ascertaining that my rights continued to be violated. It reduced again my sentence. Overall, my jail term was cut by 709 days in accordance with the legal procedures. Maia Sandu still served as Premier then,” he stated.
Under the law, a person who served 2/3 of their punishment can be released on parole. “Given that the conditions were met, I personally submitted an application to the administration of Penitentiary No. 13 and the prison’s commission examined it. This unanimously decided to grant my request on November 8,” explained the ex-Premier.
He noted that the commission’s appeal was sent to court on November 12 not because Maia Sandu and her Cabinet decided to assume responsibility that day and was removed, but because it was the last but one day when such an application could be filed. Later the case was distributed according to the existing program and the judge of inquiry set the date of the first hearing.
The judge who examined the application was the same judge who issued the first warrant for his arrest in 2015. The judge is now criticized and this is an attempt to exert pressure on courts, on judges, according to Vlad Filat. He noted that when the ruling to release him on parole was given on December 3 the premiership was already held by Ion Chicu.
The ex-Premier said he does not have the feeling of freedom and certitude. In the course of the day, he was strongly advised to leave the country, but he is not a coward. The December 3 decision is not definitive and can be appealed by the sides - Vlad Filat and the administration of Penitentiary No. 13 - within 15 days.
Asked what he will do next, Vlad Filat said he first of all wants to correct the huge damage caused to the people close to him. He does not intend to become involved in politics, but this does not mean that he will not communicate with politicians. As to his participation in the Political Council of the Liberal Democratic Party that he managed until his arrest, the former Prime Minister said he will go to greet his colleagues if he can as they did many good things together. He is no longer a member of the PLDM and does not plan to join this party again.
