The ex-government of the National Bank of Moldova Leonid Talmaci was placed under arrest for 15 days, being charged on three counts. The information was confirmed for IPN by the chief of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office Viorel Morari.

The ex-governor is accused of abuse of power, involvement in a criminal group specialized in swindles and of causing damage by swindle and abuse of confidence. Considerable property was appropriated from the public association “National Bureau of Motor Vehicle Insurers”.

The arrest warrant was issued on March 3 and can be appealed to court.

President Igor Dodon’s spokesman Ion Ceban wrote on Facebook that the presidential administration is concerned about this arrest. “Mister Leonid Talmaci is an important personality for the Republic of Moldova, who is highly appreciated by the international community. He helped found the national banking system. Yesterday he was chosen to work on the Economic Council under the President. We are collecting facts. We hope it is a mistake and the situation will be clarified in the near future,” he wrote.