Lawyer Igor Popa filed an appeal against the judgment passed by the Buiucani Court against former Prime Minister Vlad Filat. The lawyer demands that the sentence be quashed and that Vlad Filat be set free in the courtroom, IPN reports.
“We dispute the decision of the Buiucani Court for the reason that this is unfounded, abusive and illegal and does not meet the national and international legislation. The court made an extensive unfavorable interpretation abusively and erroneously,” stated Igor Popa.
According to him, the judges considered evidence that was illegally collected by the prosecutors and is thus inconclusive. “In this case, the defendant’s right to defense and the right to question the defense’s witnesses who were earlier accepted by the court weren’t ensured. Consequently, the trial witnessed a limitation that is incompatible with the requirements of a fair trial in accordance with Article 6 of the ECHR,” said the lawyer.
He also said that the statements of the denouncer Ilan Shor cannot serve as fundamentals for a conviction sentence because they were administered with violations of the standards of a fair trial. “We warn that the facts used to convict Vlad Filat do not match the limits of criminal liability for passive corruption and influence peddling,” stated Igor Popa.
The lawyer also said that the case is politically motivated, while the conviction forms part of a well-planned show whose goal is to exclude Vlad Filat from the political arena.
The prosecution also challenged the decision of the ordinary court, arguing it is too mild.
Vlad Filat was sentenced to nine year in jail and fined 60,000 lei. A part of his property is to be confiscated. The prosecution demands 19 years’ imprisonment for the ex-Premier.
