Gurbulea expected in court on May 7

The first hearing in the lawsuit filed by the head of the Chisinau Division for the Protection of Children's Rights Svetlana Chifa against the former Prosecutor General Valeriu Gurbulea will take place on May 7. The Buiucani district court on April 26 examined an application submitted by Pavel Midrigan, the representative of the former prosecutor, who asked that Valeriu Gurbulea be investigated as prosecutor not as private individual, Info-Prim Neo reports. Svetlana Chifa's lawyer Viorel Savva said this application is illogical. “Nobody has the right to slander a person, no matter what position one holds. Those who commit such an offense should be held accountable, even if they are prosecutors or hold other posts,” the lawyer said. The court rejected Pavel Midrigan's application and decided that the next hearing will take place on May 7. Svetlana Chifa seeks damages of 200,000 lei from the former prosecutor general for publicly accusing her of involvement in a child trafficking scheme without waiting for the court decision first. In a news conference on January 15, 2009, Valeriu Gurbulea said Svetlana Chifa was suspected of abuse of power and criminal interests in organizing international adoption. Svetlana Chifa was put under arrest for 72 hours on January 13, 2009 and then under house arrest for 30 days. When the term expired, the Centru District Court banned her from leaving the country. The examination of the case was postponed until April 5, but there was no trial. On March 6, the Prosectuor General's Office dropped the charges agaisnt Svetlana Chifa as there was not enough evidence to officially accuse her.