The state budget loses 700 million lei yearly because of schemes operated by the state enterprise Metalferos. The accusations have been voiced by Valentin Esanu, director of a scrap metal-collecting company.
At a press conference today, Esanu said that Metalferos used its affiliated transport companies to monthly move 30-35,000 tonnes of scrap metal to the metallurgic plant in Rabnita, without including it in the company's accounting papers.
According to Esanu, there are about 170 enterprises specialized in the collection of scrap metal in Moldova. Only 70 of them work legally, with a license. The other collect scrap metal illegally and sell it to a ghost company affiliated to Metalferos.
Esanu said that for each tonne of scrap metal bought from specialized companies in Moldova, Metalferos set a 5% quota as production waste for which it doesn't pay. In truth, the Rabnita plant dismisses as production waste only 1% and the difference is cashed in by Metalferos.
“Through this scheme, Metalferos obtains 1400 tonnes of scrap metal every month and sells it at a price of $200 per tonne. The money is shared between the director, the deputy director and the warehouse manager”, claims Esanu.
He added that although he had notified the Government and the Ministry of Economy about Metalferos's illegal schemes, he received no answer from either.
