The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) Vlad Filat said that his former lawyer Igor Popa was and is an efficient instrument of Vlad Plahotniuc. Commenting on his former lawyer’s assertions about him, Vlad Filat said these were made in a moment chosen not accidentally and is related to his decision to return to politics, IPN reports.
In a news conference on September 25, Vlad Filat said his former lawyer’s dirty assertions are directly connected with the political process, his involvement in politics and his return to the leadership of the PLDM as well as with the fielding and registration of the PLDM’s candidate for President and with the actions taken by the party at the local level in a very organized way.
The ex-Premier noted that Igor Popa represents the interests of the former leader of the Democratic Party Vlad Plahotniuc. “I want to transmit a message to Plahotniuc and to all those who serve him, who devote attention to me and who, by all kinds of methods, try to intimidate me, to exert all kinds of pressure: don’t waste energy and time as my decision to return to politics was taken in a very assumed way, even if it was hard for me to take it, given the responsibility I took and realizing a very important thing - that if I succeed, other people who were wronged in life will have a reason and an example that it is possible,” he stated.
Vlad Filat denied a number of the statements made by his former lawyer. “The assertions made by Popa Igor in a TV program last Wednesday and the way in which they were made do nothing but confirm what I stated in the recent past – that I didn’t enjoy a fair trial.” The politician noted that this new circumstance will be examined as this is a fundamental vice – the lack of effective defense – and the measures required at the national and international levels will be taken.
Vlad Filat also said that the assertions refer not only to him, but set a very dangerous precedent that refers to the whole bar. There are legal provisions, a code of conduct, the principle of confidentiality. “I really hope the lawyers will take attitude, not to defend me, but to defend them, and the Lawyers Union will take decisions that should be taken in such situations.”
In a TV program, Igor Popa said Vlad Filat stole €100 million from Moldovan banks and a part of that money is in Europe and Africa. He also said that Filat has property in Switzerland and France bought with money earned from the sale of state possessions. Igor Popa asserted that criminal cases were started against the former Premier in France and Germany.
