Ghimpu asks for commission of inquiry into situation at Banca de Economii

The leader of the Liberal Party Mihai Ghimpu demanded instituting a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the situation at Banca de Economii (Savings Bank) after the press reported that the bank closed the last year with record losses, with some analysts saying that it is close to bankruptcy because of the fraudulent management. “I’m for creating a parliamentary commission that would examine the situation at Banca de Economii,” Mihai Ghimpu said in a press briefing on Friday. He presented a report of an IMF expert, which warns about the situation at this bank with majority state holding. Mihai Ghimpu made it clear that the bank’s situation has worsened after representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party entered the bank’s Administration Board and this was done on purpose. According to the Liberal leader, the value of the bank’s shares has decreased 3-4 times, while those who brought the bank into such a state want it to be privatized at a low price. In this connection, he spoke about the former building IPTEH, located in the center of Chisinau, which is said to be belonging to Prime Minister Vlad Filat. Mihai Ghimpu said that the only solution is to increase the bank’s capital with money from the state budget. He criticized the poor customs and fiscal administration that causes enormous damage. “We offer non-reimbursable loans of billions of lei and beg money from the Europeans. We smuggle contraband and cause damage of billions, but beg money from the Europeans,” he stated. Recently, analyst Victor Gurau told the press that Banca de Economii, in which about 63,000 persons keep their savings, was robbed of 1.5 billion lei, especially after the change of the bank’s administration. He said that this way they prepare the privatization of the bank at a derisory price. A number of analysts and politicians also asked creating a parliamentary commission to investigate the situation at Banca de Economii.