The head of the Public Association “Moldova Mea” Fiodor Ghelici considers that some of the private bailiffs are among the most corrupt representatives of the legal system in Moldova. According to the activist, after a part of these stopped to serve the state, they became involved in schemes to launder money out of the country. In a news conference at IPN on March 24, Fiodor Ghelici said a person who was earlier convicted of drug taking and abuse of position obtained a license to work as bailiff.
The activist said the given bailiff, who works in Chisinau, abused his position and extorted huge sums of money from a number of people. One of the victims of the bailiff is an Estonian citizen who left Moldova several years ago. In 2010, this citizen decided to invest a particular sum of money in Moldova, but, owing to the bailiff, this sustained damage estimated at several hundred thousand lei.
“As the Estonian citizen told us, the bailiff permanently threatened him with acts of violence and warned him that he knew all the judges and prosecutors. Moreover, he said that all the offenders in the country are his friends and if the Estonian does not pay what he should pay, this will meet his end in the Republic of Moldova,” stated Fiodor Ghelici. He also said that a number of people submitted complaints against this bailiff, who was named to post owing to his relatives who hold high-ranking posts.
The association’s head noted that a criminal case was started against the given bailiff over abuse of position and causing of considerable damage. Though the hearings in this case ended this February, the Buiucani Court does not hurry to pass judgment because the bailiff sent a number of messages to the judge by which this is threatened. Also, the trial was held under the protection of the bailiff’s relatives.
In another development, the activist said the bailiffs who got a license for private practice gain a lot of money by illegal methods and obtain about 20% of all the financial resources that pass through their accounts. Such bailiffs form part of the criminal underworld that steals money from the Moldovan banks. Some of the persons holding responsible posts aimed to ensure that the bailiffs were in private practice so that these gained money on their own.
