The Buiucani Court extended the arrest warrant against Serghei Turcan, vice director of the Department of Penitentiary Institutions for 20 days. Turcan is one of the 16 persons arrested last week within the case of the arranged tender contests in the health sector. Earlier, he was placed under arrest for 10 days. He challenged the decision, but this was upheld. Press officer of the Prosecutor General’s Office Marian Vieru has told IPN that the anticorruption prosecutors asked extending the arrest warrant for 30 days.

All the 16 persons arrested challenged the decisions taken by the Buiucani Court in relation to them, but the Appeals Court hasn’t yet pronounced on the challenges. The arrest warrants issued against the other suspects expire on April 30, May 5 and May 10.

Documents concerning 20 public tender contests held to purchase medical devices and consumables were examined within this case that was started last November. The value of the signed contracts exceeds 200 million lei. During searches, the police confiscated money and property, including a car to the value of €28,000 that was allegedly offered as bribe.