Of the over 200 criminal cases started in 2010-2012 over acts of corruption, only three resulted in jail sentences. Cristina Tarana, expert within a European project to support the Government of Moldova in the fight against corruption, said that this happens because the legislation enables the judges to pronounce milder sentences, IPN reports.
“They often invoke that the culprits do not have a criminal record. Of course they do not have it as a public functionary is not employed with a criminal record,” Cristina Tarana said in a meeting at the National Anticorruption Center.
The acts of corruption are usually denounced by people who are forced to give bribe, not by public functionaries to whom bribe is offered. According to a study made by Cristina Tarana, 50% of the culprits do not use the services of lawyers. This happens because the people understand that the cases of corruption are not solved and do not see reasons for hiring a lawyer.
60% of the criminal cases over acts of corruption started in 2010-2012 (230 cases) resulted in fines of up to 3,800 lei. In 9% of the cases, the culprits were acquitted, while 30% of the cases were closed through lack of evidence.
National Anticorruption Center director Viorel Chetraru said there are worked out several important projects to create appropriate work conditions for the prosecution bodies.
Almost 250 persons have been investigated within criminal cases over corruption since January 2010. Only the guardian of a penitentiary and two intermediaries who helped obtain Romanian nationality were jailed.
