Sixteen persons were arrested by anticorruption prosecutors on suspicion that they fixed tender contests to purchase food products for Chisinau schools and kindergartens. The arrests were made as a result of searches at public education institutions and offices of business entities carried out in the morning of November 24, IPN reports.

Angela Starinski, press officer of the National Anticorruption Center (NAC), said the searches were performed within a criminal case concerning tender contests rigged with the assistance of public education functionaries. It was also ascertained that products with the expired use-by date were bought for schools and kindergartens.

Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca reacted, saying the problem of alimentation in schools and kindergartens was raised by the municipality and the education functionaries were warned that they will answer for breaking the law.

The persons were arrested for 72 hours and were escorted to the NAC for questioning.

At 1pm, the NAC and the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office will give a news conference to provide details about this case and the results of the operation performed this morning.