The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) announced on Friday, October 6, that the law enforcement bodies have carried out searches, under a criminal case, on the land of the forest fund in the Durlești forest massif, state property, which was allegedly illegally fenced and seized by some individuals, causing a particularly large damage.

According to a press release issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the environmental authorities were informed of the case and the criminal prosecution was initiated.

The raids take place almost three years after ZdG published the investigation “Reinforced concrete in place of trees in Durlesti Forest”. At the beginning of 2021, the investigation in which we revealed that the Durlești Forest, located a stone’s throw from Chisinau, was being chopped up under the eyes of the authorities, and instead of trees “sprouted” reinforced concrete constructions, was followed by a series of reactions from dignitaries and state institutions.

Nine months after the survey was published, some buildings were demolished, but the concrete remains were not immediately cleared. See below for a timeline of events:

According to the materials of the criminal case, it was found that in the period 2015-2021, in violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, the Forestry Code, the Regulation on the lease of forest land for hunting and/or recreational purposes, approved by Government Decision no. 187 of 20 February 2008, some persons, without the consent of the lessee of the “Moldsilva” Agency, in the absence of a positive opinion issued by the central environmental body of the public administration, have carried out unauthorized construction works and unlawful placement on the surface of these lands of various constructions, engineering networks (cottages, garages, pergolas, water and sewage engineering networks, etc.).

“As a result of the described illegal actions, the damage to the state and the environment was found in particularly large proportions which is estimated at – 2 348 361,40 lei,” the Prosecutor’s Office notes.