Irina Lozovan, an MP close to the fugitive Ilan Shor, and her husband, Pavel Gîrleanu, have been remanded in custody and are wanted. The two were today sentenced in absentia to 6 years and 5 years in prison respectively for knowingly accepting political party financing from an organized criminal group, IPN reports.
The Buiucani branch of the Chisinau Court deprived the two of the right to hold public office for five years. At the same time, the funds in the amount of 30 thousand dollars, recognized as corpus delicti and under the administration of ARBI of the CNA, were transferred to the state. Two notebooks were also seized.
The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office states that Irina Lozovan, being a member of the Parliament and a member of the Political Bureau of the "Renaissance" Party, knowingly accepted the financing of the party from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Shor.
On the grounds that the "Shor" Party had been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court ruling of June 19, 2023, Ilan Shor, with the aim of maintaining control over political, electoral and social processes in the Republic of Moldova, allegedly offered Irina Lozovan money to identify several mayors and local councilors to convince them to join the "Renastere" Party.
The defendants allegedly tried to recruit the mayor of the city of Ocnita, promising him one million lei personally and another one million lei allocated to the City Hall. The money was given to strengthen the electoral position of the "Renaissance" Party.
Although the mayor of Ocnita refused the proposal, the defendants allegedly continued their persuasion actions and on August 2, 2023, the MP's husband would have sent to the mayor the amount of 30 thousand dollars, money collected by Irina Lozovan's husband from the headquarters of the "Rebirth" Party, which came from the organized criminal group led by Ilan Shor, and was detained and searched the same day.
According to prosecutors, the defendants denied committing the crimes throughout the examination of the case, which lasted one year and four months.
Today's verdict can be appealed to the Center Court of Appeal within 15 days.
Anatolie Pitel, the MP's lawyer, said that the evidence presented does not prove that the offense was committed and the sentence will be challenged in the higher court.
