The deputy mayor of Soroca, the chief architect and the secretary of the Municipal Council were placed under house arrest. They were detained on Wednesday as a result of searches in cases of corruption aimed at rigging public tender contests, IPN reports.

The placing of the three officials under house arrest for 30 days was decided by the Balti Court.

According to the National Anticorruption Center, the criminal investigation was initiated based on the reasonable suspicion that public figures and persons holding public positions at the Soroca mayor’s office and Municipal Council favored particular economic agents in the process of obtaining the set of documents for concluding contracts with the municipality for illicit remuneration.

Also, in exchange for sums of money received through third parties, the officials allegedly rigged a series of tender contests so that these could be won by particular economic agents.