The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (AP) announced on Monday, May 29, the completion of the criminal prosecution and referral to the court for examination of the merits of the criminal case against General Director Iulian Scorpan and Deputy Director of the State Enterprise “Air Moldova” Airline Victor Sula, charging them with the crime of exceeding the duties of their office (Art. 328 para. (1) of the Criminal Code).

The criminal prosecution was initiated in March 2021 by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office on the basis of a complaint. The first hearing will take place on 12 June 2023 and the case will be assigned to magistrate Aurelia Cazacliu.

The two are also on trial for abuse of power or abuse of office, in a case that has been before the Chisinau court since December 2021.

“The subject of the investigation covers illegal actions expressed by manifestly exceeding the limits of the service duties granted by law, by public persons within the State Enterprise Air Moldova Air Company, namely, the general director and the deputy director of the State Enterprise Air Moldova Air Company, who in the period 2018-2019, at the conclusion of the wet-lease contract no. 0285 of 17.05.2018, caused damage in particularly large proportions to the legal entity under public law, the state, represented by the Public Property Agency, in the amount of 36 690 567 lei and to the legal entity under private law, LLC “Air Moldova”, in the amount of 83 340 455 lei“, the AP transmits.

The defendants did not admit their guilt, and the criminal case was sent to the Buiucani court of Chisinau for examination.

For the offence committed, the law provides for punishment in the form of a fine ranging from 23,500 to 57,500 lei or imprisonment for up to three years, in both cases with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or exercise a certain activity for a period of two to five years.

At the same time, in order to repair the damage caused, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office together with the Criminal Assets Recovery Agency of the National Anti-Corruption Centre have seized the property and assets of the defendants located on the territory of Moldova and abroad, in the amount of over 12 million lei.