Prosecutor delays ‘ambulances’ trial

The re-examination of the so called “ambulances case” in which the former mayor of Chisinau and leader of the Our Moldova Alliance Party Serafim Urecheanu is the defendant, was again postponed for the next week, this time on the request of the prosecutor Alexandru Bernaz. The former prosecution officer of the Centre for Combating Corruption and Economic Crime Grigore Gorea was to be heard at the meeting on November 12 as witness of the defence. Also on November 12, the court was to decide on the testimony of the key witness of the defence, the head of “Rumeon” firm Oleg Rudenco, who signed the contract for the purchase of 40 Volkswagen ambulances. Earlier, he said that he could not be present at the hearing for health reasons. He also filed an application asking the court not to hear him as witness under article 90 of the Criminal Code, which says that the witnesses have the right not to give testimonies if these could be used against him. The lawyer for Urecheanu, Vasile Rahlea, asked the prosecutor to tell if Rudenco is indeed investigated over the sale-purchase of the ambulances. The prosecutor insisted that the lawyer should make a relevant official request and he was backed by the jury panel headed by Nadejda Mazur. At the same time, Bernaz asked that the trial be postponed because the representative of the Chisinau City Hall and of the Chisinau Municipal Council came to the hearing without the power of attorney. The court decided in favour of the prosecutor and the trial was adjourned for next Monday. Asked by the reporters why he insisted on postponing the hearing where Grigore Gorea was to give testimony, Bernaz said that he acts in compliance with the law, though he accepted to hear the witnesses in the absence of the City Hall’s attorney at the previous meetings. For his part, Serafim Urecheanu said that the prosecutor and the court delay the trial and they found reasons for not questioning Grigore Gorea. Urecheanu considers that the case was fabricated by order of the Communist President Vladimir Voronin, reminding that the prosecution against the former team of the Chisinau City Hall started after the head of state signed an order formulated as “Organize the Execution” and was addressed to the central public authorities. Contacted by the press, Gorea said he will give testimony at the next hearings. One month ago, on 13 November 2006, despite the Supreme Court of Justice’s decision to stop investigating Serafim Urecheanu, “the ambulances case” was reopened. The lawyer Vasile Rahlea pointed to a number of violations of the legislation admitted by the prosecutor Alexandru Bernaz and asked the panel to drop the charges against Urecheanu. After several hours of discussions, though referring to the Supreme Court of Justice’s decision, the panel decided to reject the lawyers’ request, saying it is “premature” and the new circumstances related to the accusation of Urecheanu must be investigated.