The vice director of the Territorial Development Projects Institute (IPOT) and an inferior of his got by 30 days of arrest, while two of their mates by 20 days of arrests. The other 13 suspects in the criminal case started over abuse of power, passive corruption, active corruption and influence peddling at IPOT were placed under house arrest for a month, while an individual was temporarily released under judicial control. The preventive measures were imposed by the Ciocana branch of the Chisinau City Court at the request of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, IPN reports.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the 18 persons were arrested earlier this week as a result of over 55 searches carried out by anticorruption officers with the assistance of the National Anticorruption Center in the offices and cars of those involved. Consequently, there were seized alleged ill-gotten gains in the form of over €9,000 and 48,000 lei. A part of the suspects admitted their guilt.

In March – July 2021, specialists of the Institute asked and received sums varying between €250 and €2,000 from private individuals and beneficiaries of companies for diminishing the grade of soil in studies covering lots owned by those who ordered pedological investigations, causing this way considerable damage to the budget of the local public authorities.